Two Weeks
by Garret Jax
Summary: InuYasha gazed at the doctor threateningly. 'Say that again.' he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The doctor swallowed hard, then spoke: 'Kagome has two weeks to live... at most.' InuKag, Romanceadventure
1. A Quiet Evening

Okay, this is gonna be a relatively short fic. This is my first on FF.Net, so please be nice. I'll take criticism with no problem, but please be constructive in it. NO senseless flames, please!  
  
BTW, this fic takes place right after Kagome's jewel shards are stolen by Kykou, and InuYasha learns of the wind scar. I'm sorry but Kouga won't make an appearance in this, and it is very Inu/Kag.  
  
The rating is PG-13, just to be safe.  
  
And of coarse, the disclaimer:  
  
Jax: I don't own InuYasha. I will never own InuYasha. I am an InuYasha- holic, and I've gone without owning it for all my life.  
  
Other Inu-holics: That's okay, Jax. We all have problems like that.  
  
**  
  
Two Weeks  
  
By: Garret Jax  
  
**  
  
Kagome yawned, stretching her arms out to their full length. She sighed slightly, and dismounted her bicycle. She rubbed her eyes, and pushed a strand of raven black hair out of her face. She wore her usual school uniform: white shirt, green tie and miniskirt, long white socks, and some black shoes.  
  
Slowly, she walked over to where her traveling companion, Sango, was setting up a fire pit. "I take it this is where we make camp?" She asked, fighting back another yawn.  
  
"Yes," Sango said in a mild voice. "Miroku is out gathering fire-wood and InuYasha is checking for any signs of danger." She finished setting some stones in a ring just as Miroku, the young monk walked into the little clearing.  
  
He wore the long blue and black robes of a monk, and had his hair up in a little ponytail, to further symbolize his status. He walked over to Sango, and deposited his armful of firewood at the demon hunter's feet. "Here you are." He said in a calm reserved voice.  
  
"Thank you" Sango said, her voice warm and sisterly. She arranged the sticks into a little teepee, and stood up, brushing the dirt off her green skirt and decorative blouse. "Kirara" she called out to her friend, a small fox youkai. The little beast stood up, and came over to her master's call. "Could you start up this fire for me?" Kirara obligingly walked over to the little tent of wood, and concentrated. An aura of flame burst around her, and the wood was soon burning merrily.  
  
Kirara jumped into Sango's arms, and snuggled up to her, mewling softly. Sango smiled, and absentmindedly smacked a groping hand from behind her. Miroku withdrew his hand and nursed it, smiling. Kagome couldn't help but snicker a little at her perverted friend.  
  
With that, their last companion, the hanyou InuYasha leapt from a nearby tree into the clearing. He wore baggy red pants in a traditional style, and a white shirt. He had discarded the red top in preference to being cool in the summer heat. "Nothing around here that I can smell." He announced. "Do you sense any Jewel shards Kagome?"  
  
"Nothing right now." Kagome said, setting up her sleeping bag.  
  
InuYasha's eyes narrowed. "You sure?" He asked, in a semi mocking voice. "We haven't found any for almost a month. Are you really trying?"  
  
Kagome gave him a long, level, threatening look. InuYasha balked and shut up. Kagome kept her eyes on InuYasha, and walked over to her bicycle. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a sleeping Shippou. The little Kitsune had fallen asleep shortly after sunset, and hadn't woken since. Kagome smiled slightly as he kicked a fox like foot, chasing down some sort of prey in a dream. She took the little kitsune over to her sleeping bag and placed him at the foot of it. "Hey guys," she was rewarded with a turn of heads. "I'm off to bed, okay."  
  
"Sounds good!" Miroku said, standing up and walking towards Kagome's sleeping bag. His ears picked up a familiar sound, and he ducked just in time to avoid getting his head taken off by Sango's boomerang. "Forget I said that." He muttered, standing up.  
  
"Said what?" Kagome replied innocently from her sleeping bag. Miroku grinned, and returned to InuYasha and Sango by the fire.  
  
InuYasha sat in silence as Miroku and Sango planned where they would go tomorrow. Inwardly, he grimaced about how their search was going. It had been about a month since SHE had stolen Kagome's jewel shards, and Kagome had not returned to her time in a while. They had never gone a month without finding a jewel shard before. He growled slightly. "There's something wrong." He muttered.  
  
Sango and Miroku looked up. "What do you mean?" they asked, almost in unison.  
  
"I mean we haven't found any shards for almost a month. There's no trouble, no youkai attacks, no nothing!" InuYasha said, crossing his arms. "It's almost like this area's been wiped clean."  
  
Miroku's eyes narrowed. "You think Naraku has been here before us?" he asked.  
  
InuYasha shook his head. "Doubt it." He said. "If it was Naraku then there would be destroyed towns all over the place, but as is there's no sign of chaos around. I think we might have more big competition than we thought.  
  
Sango sighed. "Great. another person chasing after the Shikon jewel. Just what we need."  
  
Miroku, ever the voice of reason, spoke up. "If this is the case," he said, "I think that we should move on. We don't just want to be getting someone else's table scraps."  
  
"Right!" InuYasha agreed. "Let's get out of here." His cocky little grin widened. "The sooner we get the Shikon Jewel back together, the sooner I can be come a full, bona fide Youkai!"  
  
Miroku looked up angrily. "InuYasha, is that really all you think about!?" he demanded. "The Shikon jewel is evil! If you use it for that purpose, you will doom us all!"  
  
"Don't start this argument with me again monk!" InuYasha said angrily, rising to his feet. "I don't give a rat's ass about what you think! I'm not gonna be controlled by a little rock!"  
  
"It wont have to control you InuYasha." Miroku said ominously. "You bow down to it more than willingly on your own. Can't you see that?"  
  
"Feh!" InuYasha snorted. He crossed his arms, held his head up, and dashed out of the clearing.  
  
"Promise me one thing InuYasha!" Miroku called after him. "Tell me before you use the jewel. I will want time to flee!" Only silence came as a reply. Miroku turned, muttering to himself. "Fool!" He said. "How can he not see how childish he's being."  
  
Sango looked in amusement as Miroku brooded. Slowly, she reached out her hand and waved it in front of his face: no reaction. Trying to keep from laughing, she stood up. "I'm going to bed." She told the thinking Miroku. With that, she walked over to one of the outer rings of the fire, laid down, slipped out of her outer clothing till she was in her cat suit, and closed her eyes. Miroku sat on the log, still pondering, completely oblivious to the cat suit clad Sango on the other side of the camp. 


	2. A hanyou's reflections

Sorry this took so long. I had computer troubles and a choir tour this weekend. 

P.S. I don't own InuYasha, and I only have 8 dollars, so don't sue me.

**

InuYasha growled lowly as he stalked out of the clearing, muttering oaths under his breath. The perturbed hanyou ran through the woods swiftly, looking for anything to vent his frustration on. He dashed left, right, then stopped to sniff the ground for any sign of trouble. 

"Damn monk!" he muttered, not picking up anything. "He doesn't know squat! Why should I listen to him?"  

He walked up to a large tree, and whipped out Tetsusaigia, the great sword made from his father's fang, fully intent on chopping the great wooden giant down. The beaten up old katana flared to life, and transformed readily into the five-foot long blade, eager to be used. As InuYasha began to lay into the tree, a slight smell shifted to his sensitive nose. 

"Kirara?" He called turning to face the small fox youkai. 

Kirara mewed at him, and nuzzled up against his leg. InuYasha glanced at the little critter thoughtfully. "Hey, Kirara," He said. "Transform into your large form. I wanna try somthin'" Kirara looked up at him with large red eyes, and walked to the other side of the clearing. Her slight mew became a large roar as the little fox became a large, fanged, beast. 

InuYasha grinned, and held Tetsusaigia out in front of him. "Good, now lets see if I remember how to do this…"  He closed his eyes and concentrated on feeling Kirara. He opened his eyes again to a whole new world. He could see all the slight breezes blowing through the trees, and the gusts of wind coming from both Tetsusaigia and Kirara. 'When the two winds meet, they form the wind scar' He thought, and watched as the swirling energies eddied outward, and collided. His amber eyes narrowed as the two winds formed a glowing channel, right in front of Kirara. 'bingo!' he thought with a grin. "Okay Kirara," He called. "That's what I needed." Kirara flared back into her little form, and walked back towards InuYasha. 

The hanyou turned, and crossed his arms, looking up at the full moon. Now that he could command the wind scar, their opponents would be much easier. He could collect the shikon jewel shards much faster, and then he could become a full-blooded youkai, and Kagome could go home to her own era… But why did that make him feel bad. 

He sighed, then snarled at the moon slightly, scaring Kirara. "This is all Kykyo's fault!" he growled. "Why did she attack Kagome? Why did she take the jewel shards?" He demanded, but the silent moon gave no answer. 

He sighed. "Damn you Naraku." He said, sitting down next to Kirara on a root. "We could have been happy." He said, looking hard at the ground. "But you had to go and screw the whole thing…" he muttered. "You had to kill her." 

But now she was back, yet she was not at all like InuYasha recalled her. She was cruel, jealous, and bitter. She wasn't the Kykyo he knew. 

**

_"Kykyo!"__ InuYasha demanded, holding the wounded Kagome close. "Those are Kagome's jewel shards!"_

_The dead shrine maiden looked at him coldly. "What's the matter InuYasha? You seem unhappy to know I am alright." _

_InuYasha__ flung his hand to the side, as if to dodge the comment. "Don't play with me! What did you go to Kagome?" _

_Kykyo__ smiled a cold, unfeeling smile.__ "I tried to kill her." She said, not even blinking. "Will you kill me now?"  InuYasha growled lowly. "InuYasha," Kykyo said almost playfully. "When you were under the forest's spell, what did you think about?" She asked. _

_InuYasha's__ eyes widened, and he could feel the embrace that he and the dream-Kykyo had shared. 'I will always protect you' he had said. _

_Kykyo__ grinned, then through her head back in a heartless laugh. "Do you really think you can strike me down after saying that?" She asked. InuYasha grimaced, and Kykyo glared at him. "Embracing death together!" She said, as her soul gatherers lifted her gently off the ground. "That is a day that I can look forward to."_

**

InuYasha shook his head, clearing painful memories. "What the hell am I thinking?" He said aloud. "I get the shikon jewel, become full youkai , and kill Naraku! Then… then everything will be fine. 

Slowly, he turned, and walked back towards the camp. "Come on, Kirara!" The little fox mewed in response, and followed him obligingly. HE threaded his way through the trees, and arrived back into the clearing swiftly. 

He walked silently, not making a noise. His eyes trained on the sleeping Kagome, piercing through the darkness with the simplest of ease. His ears trained on her rhythmic breathing, and his sensitive nose picked up her familiar, sweet scent. He smiled slightly, and knelt down beside her, looking intently at her face. "So much like Kykyo…" H whispered. His hand reached forward, and combed slightly through her raven hair, then strayed down to the edge of her sleeping bag. He sighed, and pulled the edge up around her shoulders. 

Kagome smiled slightly, and snuggled down deeper into the comforting warmth. InuYasha smiled, then walked out towards the outer ring of trees. He made a sure leap up to the very top of one of the tallest, and gazed into the moon. He slumped down into the cradle of pine boughs and sighed contentedly. His eyes closed, and his breath eased in and out of his chest rhythmically. He gazed up at the full moon once more, and then was asleep. 

**

Okay, there's chapter two. Sorry they're being so short at the beginning, but I'm trying to give the chapters dramatic pause. They'll get longer later, I promise. 


	3. A miko's reflections

            Kagome winced slightly as a particularly strong beam of light lanced through her eyelid, lighting her dark world with red. She rolled over in her sleeping bag, and moaned, but it was too late. She was now painfully aware of all the birds chirping, the wind rustling the trees, the laughing of a stream, and all the other indecent noises that annoyed her in her world of slumber. 

            She rolled over once more, and opened her eyes… only to be hit full in the face with a brilliant sunrise. 

            A very naughty word escaped from her mouth as she instantly covered her eyes, shielding them from the offensive sun. "Wha time izzit?" She demanded, the fuzziness of sleep still clouding her pronunciation. She sat up wearily and yawned.  Slowly, she rose to her feet, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "It is way too early for this." She muttered. 

            Slowly, she walked over to the center of the camp, and looked around. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw both Sango and Miroku still asleep, and the two fox youkai curled up around each other. "What time _is_ it?" she asked. Miroku almost never slept in. 

            She shrugged, and glanced up into the trees for InuYasha. She had to squint slightly to see him, but there he was, in the topmost boughs of a mighty pine. She smiled lightly at the sleeping hanyou, but the smile increased even more when the sound of running water once again pervaded on her ears. She turned towards the sound, and walked off into the woods, following the warm inviting call of a cool morning bath. 

            Soon, she arrived at a little creek that ran into a small spring. Her smile increased tenfold as she stripped out of the sweaty school uniform and slipped into the cool refreshing water. She sighed contentedly as the crystal clear water washed away the dirt of the hard trail, and caressed her in a cleansing embrace. "I should tell Sango about this place." She whispered.   

She covered her nose and mouth, and dived under the water, letting the water carry all of the dirt out of her hair. She surfaced again, and took a deep breath. The breath came out in a cry of surprise as a little rummaging sound came from behind her. She turned around and called out her only line of defense against the offender. "SIT!" she yelled. She heard nothing in the immediate area, but a long line of profanity streamed from almost a quarter mile away, telling her that InuYasha was being a good boy.  

She sighed, much relieved, then reclined back against a rock. She looked up into the trees. 'That's where InuYasha would be watching from if he was peaking on me.' She thought. She smiled lightly, then her eyes opened wide. "HELLO!" she demanded of herself. "Where did that come from?" 

She blushed despite herself, and  dipped deeper into the water. 'Did I really just think that?' she thought, embarrassed even though no one was there. She looked up at the rising sun, and the receding full moon. _The moon. It almost automatically conjured pictures of InuYasha in his human form. She caught her breath as she recalled the night they had spent the first time she had seen him like that, how she had cradled his head in her lap until he drifted of to sleep. _

**

_Kagome blushed slightly as he leaned down into her lap, struggling even to support himself. She absentmindedly ran a hand through his now jet-black hair. He reached a hand up to his face and wiped some blood of his lips, then turned to her. "You scent…" She said, through harshly drawn breaths. "It's sweet." _

_Kagome's eyes widened, and she blushed madly herself. "What do you mean?" She demanded. "You always said that you hated my scent!" _

_InuYasha closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. The air staggered out of him weakly, and he hissed in pain with its passing. "I know I said that… but I lied." Kagome's eyes widened even more, and the blush spread from her cheeks to all over her face. "I like it." He whispered, and then said no more for the rest of the night. _

**

Kagome blushed slightly at the memory of it. She glanced back up at the quickly fading moon. 'Why can't I get my mind off him?' she asked herself. She had stayed up almost half the night worrying about the argument that had taken place between Miroku and InuYasha last night, and it wasn't the first time. The thought of a youkai InuYasha scared her… a lot. Just as it was, she feared InuYasha, and respected him, as well. He was strong, cocky, and proud… yet he had a good heart. HE acted tough all the time, yet Kagome knew he would never hurt her. But what about as a youkai? Would he still be InuYasha? Kagome shuddered to think. 

            She could just imagine waking up to a hand over her mouth and long claws pressed against her throat. She shuddered once again. 

            "So this is where you've been!" A voice rang out from behind her. 

            Kagome gasped, and whipped around. Sango stood on the edge of the pond, smiling at her. "You're lucky y'know." She said good naturedly as she stripped off her clothes and slipped into the spring. "I had to physically stop InuYasha from tearing off after you as soon as he found out you were gone." 

            Kagome half giggled at that image. "Sorry." She said. "Didn't mean to worry you." She said smiling back at her friend. 

            "That's alright." Sango said. "I can understand you don't want Miroku watching you."

            "And InuYasha…" Kagome started, once again dipping her hair under the water. 

            "I don't know…" Sango said slyly. "Are you sure you don't want him peaking?"

            Kagome coughed slightly, blushed, and glared at Sango. "I DO NOT!" 

            Sango smiled. "You're blushing." She observed. 

            "I AM NOT!" Kagome yelled, turning even redder, images of the human InuYasha dancing through her mind. 

            "Sounds like someone's in denial." Sango said, teasingly. 

            "Well at least I don't have a crush on Miroku!" Kagome retaliated, making Miroku sound as dirty as she could make him (which wasn't very hard).

            Sango said nothing in retaliation, but merely sent a splash of water spraying over Kagome's unprotected face. 

            Kagome smiled an evil little smile at her friend. "I hope you know this means war." She said threateningly. She brought her had down in an expert splash… but stopped it right before it hit the water. There was a slight tug at the edge of her mind, and it was growing increasingly stronger. 

            Sango, immediately seeing the change on her friends face, stopped splashing immediately. "What is it?" she asked. 

            Kagome concentrated on the tug, and recognized the sensation. She looked up in panic. "There's a huge jewel shard heading towards the camp, fast." She was already at the edge of the pool, stumbling into her clothes. "We have to get back…now!"__


	4. Atma

Thank you for all the nice reviews. 

To Saro: Thanks for the compliments! Don't worry; I'll get to the part in the summary… I hope. 

To everybody else: Thanks for the good reviews! And thanks for telling me what Kirara was… I honestly thought she was a Fox.

Also, I'm sorry if Sango seems a bit out of character. I'm an "Adult swimmer," So I haven't seen many episodes with her in it. I'm going largely off of what I read of other fics, and what little I've seen of her on the show. 

Anywho, on with the fic. I don't own InuYasha.

**

            InuYasha growled slightly, rubbing his bruised head. "I don't understand what the big deal is!" He complained to Miroku. "I just wanted to make sure she was okay!" 

            Miroku closed his eyes and readjusted the prayer beads on his arm. "I imagine Sango realized Kagome was taking a bath." He said. "Should you wish to know if they're okay, then I could easily go check on them." With that, he rose and headed in the direction Sango had gone. 

            InuYasha growled slightly, and threw a stick at him. The stick caught Miroku in the back of his head, knocking him onto the ground. "You'll stay right here, _monk!" he snorted. _

            Miroku stood up, then glared at InuYasha. "My, my, InuYasha." He accused slyly. "Is that a hint of possessiveness in you're voice?" 

            InuYasha leapt to his feet angrily. "Shut up!" He yelled. "I don't care if you look at her or not!" He said defensively, trying not to make the lie to blatant., but failing miserably. "But if you peak, I get 'sat!'" 

            "Hah!" rang a childlike voice from behind them. Shippo dashed up and jumped onto InuYasha's head, dancing a little jig. "Inu and Kagome, sittin' in a tree!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes Mating, then comes Inu with a…" The young kitsune suddenly found it very hard to sing, given that his mouth was largely obstructed by InuYasha's fist. 

            Miroku struggled to keep his monk's vow of silence at the site of the childish pair. His thoughts, however, were soon distracted as Sango, full clad in her cat-suit, burst into the clearing. 

            "InuYasha, Miroku!" She called, dashing over, and grabbing her boomerang. "Kagome senses a big Jewel shard heading this way!" 

            InuYasha withdrew his fist from Shippo's face, and nodded, drawing Tutsusaigia.          Miroku picked up his monk's staff and loosed the prayer beads around his fist. Shippo readied his magic Bag O' Tricks (™) and summoned a ball of foxfire into his hand. 

            The group formed a defensive circle around the firepit, and watched for the approaching Youkai. 

            They all jumped easily a foot in the air as Kirara mewed joyfully from behind them all. The entire group turned around simultaneously, and looked towards the fire pit. Kirara was leaping up and down, attempting to bat at a little ball of string hanging from a thread. Their eyes traveled up the thread to the hand holding it. 

            There, standing in midair as if it was solid ground was a girl… or maybe a woman. Either way she was looking decidedly blissful as she dangled the string in front of the little fox youkai's nose. Her face was what was best identified as "Cute," being slightly round, and having a sharp nose. Her eyes were closed into big upward arcs, and her mouth was caught up in a big grin, exposing her fangs. Her hair was crimson, long and full, cascading down her back in waves, tapering to a jet, lustrous black at the tips. Her ears were very long and elflike, and they twitched every once in a while when she giggled. Curving upward, slightly behind her ears, were two long curving horns of the purest ivory, as well as a small, upward curving one on her forehead just slightly above her eyes. 

            She had a shapely body encased in a black leather tunic and leggings. Her hands were clawed like InuYasha's, and she wore a pair of black fingerless gloves. She wore no boots, but instead had black cloth wrapping around her feet, leaving her clawed toes and her heel visible. 

            Curving gracefully from her back was a pair of large, black, draconic wings. The flapped every once in a while, lifting her slightly from her "Standing" position, and stirring the dust and ash from the firepit. From her tailbone grew a long, scaled dragon-like tail, which twitched in amusement. 

            Hanging on a beaded necklace on the front of her bodice, in plain view, was more than half of the Shikon Jewel. 

            All four fighters gaped slightly as the odd girl bobbed the cat toy up and down a few more times, then turned towards them, her eyes still closed. "She's a good kitty." She said. Her voice was rich and sonorous, with a slight sensual twinge. 

            InuYasha gaped at her, confused. Finally, he shook himself out of it, and glared at the girl. "Listen, wench!" The hanyou demanded. "I don't know why you're here, but if you know what's good for you you'll leave the jewel shards here and run." 

            The girl looked at him with a mock hurt expression, somehow managing to look teary eyed without opening her eyes. "Wench?" she asked, "What do you mean?" I'm a good girl…" the hurt expression turned into a grin. "Not like that monk over there." She said, pointing to Miroku. 

            The indicated monk gave a look of shock, as well as Sango. "You _know Miroku?" She asked, in astonishment. "How?"_

            The girl 'walked' over to Sango. "It's a secret." She said in a hushed voice. 

            InuYasha growled slightly, and opened his 'other' vision. He could see the winds swirling from the youkai. She might not have looked it, but she was powerful. He grinned slightly as the two breezes formed the windscar. "That's it, wench!" He said, flashing a trademark cocky grin, then barreled into her at top speed. As they flew through the air together, he planted his feet on her stomach, and pushed off. As he launched in the opposite direction, he slashed upward with the Tetsusaigia, slashing neatly across the windscar. The sword sent three bolts of energy ripping across the ground, racing toward the female youkai with deadly intent. The girl flipped over in midair, and flapped her great wings once to stop dead. She turned with an angry look on her face, but it was replaced by shock as the lethal blast slammed into her and drove her across the clearing. 

InuYasha landed beside Sango and Miroku, and lofted Tutsusaigia across his 

back, smiling smugly. "Well…" Miroku said, watching the dust clear. "That was easy." 

            Sango nodded, then rose her head sharply, looking at the rising dust. "Or not." She said, shocked. 

            The youkai stood in the middle of the dust cloud, coughing loudly. She gasped in a breath of air, then turned to InuYasha. "You bastard!" She shouted, then fell into another fit of coughing. She took another deep breath and continued, stalking forward while talking. "This is allergy season for me you ingrate!" She ranted, her eyebrows arching over her closed eyes. "Not only that, but if you're gonna try to kill someone, you should do it properly!" 

InuYasha gave her an odd look of surprise. "Wha?" He stumbled over his own tongue. 

"First of all," She commanded in a teacher-like tone, holding up her pointing finger. "You research you're subject first! How on earth do you know what my capabilities are before you attack me." 

"Umm…" InuYasha said, confused. 

"Second!" Her middle finger joined the first. "You do _not_ use Tetsusaigia on me!" InuYasha's jaw dropped in amazement. The girl took no notice, but pressed on. "I learned how it worked a few days after it was made, so I can easily know how to counter it! You're lucky I didn't kill you! Look what happened to you're father!" 

InuYasha's jaw hit the ground. "You killed my father!?" He demanded. 

The odd girl laughed. "No, of coarse not!" She said. "Gave him a few broken ribs and one hell of a headache, though." 

InuYasha shook his head. "Hold on, you knew my father?" 

The girl laughed. "Of coarse InuYasha." She said, as if she was admonishing a child. "Every youkai knew you're father. I just knew him better than most."

InuYasha gaped in astonishment.

            The youkai shook her head. "Now, on with the lecture," She held up a third finger. "Never tackle a girl." 

            InuYasha looked at her expectantly. "Because?" He prompted, now thoroughly confused. 

            "It's impolite!" The girl said primly, dusting off the front of her tunic. "besides, I wanna wait till Kagome gets here to start the fight. 

            InuYasha growled dangerously. "What do you want with Kagome?" He demanded.  

            The girl cocked her head at him. "Why should I tell you?" 

            InuYasha shook his head. 'That's it, wench!" He yelled. "I'm tired of this crap! Who the hell are you?" 

            The girl grinned a sly, almost malevolent grin. "Finally, we cut to the chase." She murmured. She stood up, straightened her back, and flared out her wings. "My name… is Atma." 

            Both Miroku's and Sango's eyes widened in horror. Miroku gaped at the youkai in front of them, but Sango voiced what they were both thinking. "Oh shit." She whispered. 

**

My, my, my! What has Sango and Miroku so spooked? Hehehe! 

OH!  The character Atma is mine, but the name comes from Final Fantasy Six, so you can use the name, but please ask my permission before using the my character. 


	5. InuYasha's Transformation

Sorry this took so long, but I've been busy (What with being on spring break and all.) 

I don't own InuYasha

**

InuYasha gaped at Sango in astonishment. Sango _never_ swore! "What's the deal, he asked, holding Tetsusaigia in a defensive stance. 

Miroku gaped at him. "Don't you know who Atma _is?_" he demanded. InuYasha stared blankly at him. 

Atma grinned down from her loftily standing point, her eyebrows arched in amusement. "Are you going to attack?" She asked mockingly. 

InuYasha, never one to back down from a challenge, scuffed his feet against the grass, like a bull about to charge. Suddenly, Sango dashed in-between the fiery hanyou and youkai. "Listen, InuYasha!" she said urgently. "You must not fight her!"

Atma lifted her head and laughed in amusement. "Normally, that would be a good idea." She said in an almost conversational tone. Slowly, she began to sink. InuYasha's eyes widened in astonishment, for as her feet touched the grass, it withered and died instantly. "However, in this case, I'd highly suggest that you defend youselves against me." She advised. "You might find yourselves not very alive otherwise." Small wisps of smoke began to rise from the dead grass at her feet. She shrugged and sighed. "I grow tired of waiting for Kagome!" She declared, her voice now carrying an air of command. "Shall we dance too warm up?" The grass around her erupted into bluish flames, casting the youkai in a hellish glow. 

The entire group of fighters leapt back as Atma laughed a cold, cruel laugh, and dashed forward, like a blue blazing comet, through the air. She sped forward, flames trailing from her wings and tail, bringing her first crashing towards InuYasha's face. The young hanyou barely managed to bring Tetsusaigia up in time to counter the punch, and grunted as the smash of fist against metal rang through the clearing. Atma grinned at him, unperturbed, and smashed him in the face with her tail, then leapt into the air to avoid Miroku's onslaught. She came down smoothly, landing toe first on the ring of his staff, and kicked him smoothly in the face. 

Sango snarled and hefted her giant boomerang. Atma turned and crouched, anticipating the blow. Sango gasped as Atma expertly snatched the boomerang out of midair, and sent it strait back at her. She hit the dirt as the lethal weapon swung over her head, then gasped in pain as a clawed foot slammed into her back. 

Atma grinned slightly as she stood over the prostrate youkai exterminator. Sango grunted and attempted to get up, but only was pushed back to the ground. 

Slowly, Miroku staggered to his feet, and loosed the prayer beads on his arm. He reached down and grabbed his staff with his left hand and hurled it. Atma turned and knocked it negligently aside with a wing. "Sango, run!" he called, raising his right hand. 

Sango, freed of the foot's crushing pressure, dashed straight past Miroku. Seconds later, the whirling vortex of Miroku's wind tunnel opened directly on Atma's lithe form. She turned and opened her eyes in shock as the winds pulled at her, uprooting bushes, grass, rocks, and even young trees of the outlying forest. 

Atma didn't move an inch. 

Miroku gasped as he wrenched the wind tunnel back under the prayer beads. Atma chuckled, a very nasty sound. "Looks like you have been marked by Naraku." She said her smile increasing. 

"What would you know of that demon?" Miroku demanded.

Atma looked at him smugly. "I know much." She murmured. Her eyebrow twitched, and her ear cocked behind her, she turned to face InuYasha. He stood up, leaning heavily on Tetsusaigia. "You bitch!" He said, toting Tetsusaigia over his back. She grinned at him, and dashed forward. InuYasha began to swing Tetsusaigia upward, but was cut off before he could even see the wind scar. His mouth opened in shock as he felt her hand against his, and she grasped the Tetsusaigia. The clearing suffered a moment of silence. 

Atma looked at InuYasha. InuYasha looked at Atma. Atma grinned at InuYasha. The young hanyou's face contorted in pain, and he fell a good five yards away. InuYasha groaned, and looked up with some degree of effort. Atma stood there, flashing InuYasha his own trademark cocky grin, holding Tetsusaigia over her shoulder with one hand. Almost negligently, she turned, and swung Tetsusaigia at Miroku and Sango. InuYasha looked on in horror as Tetsusaigia blazed to life, and the demon sent a blaze of sheer power spinning along the ground towards the unprepared Monk and Youkai exterminator. 

InuYasha's mind seemed to numb as he watched the blast overtake both of his companions. There was a slow, dark pulling at the back of his mind, insistent, but subtle. _She killed them! _ It whispered to him. A low growl escaped from his throat, guttural and dangerous. _Kill her! The voice said almost gleefully. __Cut her open! Slash her throat with your claws! Drink her ruby blood! Slight rivulets of saliva trailed out of his mouth, and his eyes started to glow blood red. _

Atma turned slightly, and grinned at him. "Oh!" She said, smirking cockily. "Did I make you mad? I heard you get stronger when you get mad." She waved Tetsusaigia in front of him. "I heard that you become a youkai!" 

_ Kill! Rip! Shred! _ The voice was chanting in his head, roaring, and demanding to be met. Long brownish striped were now crawling up the sides of his face and cheeks, and his ears were getting slightly longer. His growl was quickly becoming a roar. _Eat her! _ The voice screamed. _Do everything you've ever wanted to do!_ and InuYasha wanted to do it… all of it. 

He held up his hands, and his claws eagerly leapt out almost another inch. His mouth parted in a challenging snarl, revealing real, full sized fangs. The tips of his hair and ears turned an ashen black, and a wolf-like tail protruded from his tailbone. He roared in rage and pain, charged the she-demon across from him. Like a bolt of red lighting, he was in front of her swinging down with his claws. 

Atma scowled at him, turned to the side, avoiding the lethal claws by inched, and retaliated, drawing our bloody lines diagonally across InuYasha's face. Ignoring the burning pain, he slashed out again. His claws grazed the tip of her central horn as she danced away. 

Atma reached up and grabbed the hand, then smashed him across the head with the flat of Tetsusaigia's blade. As InuYasha recoiled, he planted his left hand on the ground, and kicked her square in the face with his right foot. Atma recoiled in shock and put her hand to her nose. "you bastard!" She sputtered, pulling her hand away and seeing red. 

InuYasha, however, paid no attention to the comment. His youkai senses were on full alert, and working like dogs. He could hear, smell, and see everything around him. His red eyes cut through the blue fire's smoke like a scythe, and his ears were twitching every which way, picking up all that was happening around him. There was a cricket attempting to the flee the chaos about three feet to his left, there was a rock protruding an inch out of the ground eight steps in front of him, and about twenty yards beyond the demoness Kagome was struggling to knock an arrow. Like a beam of light cutting through darkness, Kagome shot through his senses, cutting through the dark voice commanding him. His voice came barreling out of his chest at full force. "Kagome!" He yelled. "Get out of here!" Then the darkness took him fully, and InuYasha disappeared. 

**

I've rewritten this chapter about three times now, but I can't get the fight scenes to sound how I want them to, especially when there are about three people fighting. Am I just being a perfectionist, or do they really suck? If they suck, I don't suppose someone could E-Mail me giving me some in-depth tips on how to write combat scenes. 

Also, I have no Idea what InuYasha looks like when he's full demon, so I had to make it up. Hope you don't mind. ^_^


	6. The Ancient Wyrm of Darkness

Well, I guess I'm a little better at fight scenes then I thought, given the response. I have been informed that I got the full demon InuYasha's looks wrong, but it's too late to change it now! Sorry if it annoys you, cause he'll be making at least one other appearance in this. 

I don't own InuYasha.

**        

Kagome watched in horror as InuYasha finished his transformation. His eyes glowed a dark crimson, and his mouth was turned upward in a snarl. The odd demon, "Atma" as she had called herself, stood among the blue flames that now enveloped the clearing, turning trees to ash. But where were Sango, Miroku, and the others. A small knot formed in her stomach. What was this Atma? 

            As if in response to her unspoken question, Atma threw back her head in a loud laugh. Her grin spread evilly over her entire face, and she lowered into a crouch. _Come on, InuYasha! _Kagome thought, but a look at the hayou-turned-youkai's face made her wonder who she actually wanted to win. 

            Suddenly, Atma tensed, and rushed forward, dropping Tetsusaigia into an underhanded swing. Kagome's eyes twitched in amazement as Atma literally battered InuYasha all the way across the clearing, lobbing blow after ferocious blow. Finally, InuYasha, blood trailing from his mouth and nose, slumped to the ground. Kagome gasped in horror as the winged youkai reached down, and hefted InuYasha to her height, holding him by his forehead. 

            The arrow was in the air before Kagome realized she had fired it. It blazed to life, flaring and pulsing with sheer miko energy, easily as powerful as the one she had used to destroy Naraku's body. The arrow spun in a brilliant arc, and embedded itself strait into the winged demon's back. 

            Atma's eyes widened and her mouth opened wide in a silent scream of pain as wave after burning wave of miko energy rocked through her body.  As the pulsing of the energy disappeared, the arrow fell in to ashes. Atma seethed air in through clenched teeth, and turned to face Kagome. 

            Almost negligently she tossed the beaten InuYasha aside, and turned to face Kagome. She held up a finger, and crooked it, gesturing for Kagome to come forward. Kagome suddenly found herself flung forward like a rag doll into the air, and dragged right in front of the winged demon. 

            Atma growled at her. "That hurt." She said, holding up a hand, and displaying inch long claws. "You are annoying." She observed, bringing the claws closer to the young Miko's face. Kagome's eyes widened in fear, and she let out a slight whimper. Suddenly, a tan ball of fur whipped out seemingly nowhere and attached to Atma's face. The youkai screamed in annoyance, and attempted to get the little kitsune off her face. Shippo was attacking with every little muscle her had, singeing her hair with foxfire, biting her nose savagely, and scratching any available surface with his little claws. 

            Eventually, Atma got a hold of the little Kitsune, and threw him away. She turned to face Kagome again, but was cut off as a giant boomerang caught her across the face. All eyes turned to the crater that Atma had created earlier. Sango and Miroku stood among the ash, grinning at the shocked demon. "What?" Sango asked, catching the boomerang, struggling to stand. "You thought that a little thing like the Tetsusaigia would get rid of us?" She was obviously struggling to stand, and her cat-suit was burnt and frayed in parts, she didn't have her gas mask, and her hair was very badly singed. Miroku looked slightly better, but there was obviously something wrong with his leg, by the way he used his staff as a crutch. 

            Atma gave them both a flat, unamused expression. "Okay, now I'm really getting…" She was cut of hey again as yet another miko arrow slammed into her back, making her roar in pain again. She whipped around to face Kagome again, her face reddening with rage. "YOU LITTLE…" InuYasha's fists descended savagely on her back, drawing ten lines of crimson blood down her spine. Atma literally howled in pain, and jumped high into the air, landing at the opposite end of the clearing. 

"That's it!" She declared. The sky, already darkened slightly by the smoke, grew boisterous and cloudy. "I came here for a purpose, and now it's time!"  She declared. The clouds grew black, and lighting began to crackle. She turned to InuYasha. "You must now face me!" She declared. "The ancient wyrm of darkness." As she said the words, lighting struck her wingtips, coursing through her body, and shattering the ground at her feet. "Can you protect those you love?" She demanded of the hanyou-turned-youkai. She straightened her back, stood tall, and snapped her wings out regally. Her hair whipped about her wildly as the wind rushed through the clearing. She held up on hand, palm outward, with her thumb, index, and middle fingers up, and the others folded down. "Are you strong enough?" She roared above the fury of the wind, the ruble of the thunder, her voice echoing throughout the very earth, and hell was unleashed onto earth. 

**

I'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but it's just a perfect cutoff for a cliffie! I sort of wanted to finish up the fight with Atma in this one, but it was just too good of a cliffhanger to pass up.


	7. Wounded

            Kagome looked on in horror as Atma raised her hands to the sky. An almost ecstatic grin was plastered across the youkai's face.  Slowly, she looked down at the young fighters below. The blue flames enveloping the clearing suddenly died, and there was a brief moment of calm, then all hell descended. Atma brought her hands down, and the flames returned, burning so dark that they were almost black. The sun disappeared entirely and the only light to be seen was the lightning crashing to earth. 

            Atma threw back her head in a booming, echoing laugh, threw Tetsusaigia to the ground, and held up her claws in a menacing stance… then fell over. Kagome blinked as the powerful youkai fell to the ground gasping and growling. Slowly, the horns of her head grew out even longer, the "fireflies" of her eyes flashed back and forth. The breath rushed out of her mouth in short ragged gasps. With a sickening rip, more horns began to grow from her head, curving out from her wealth of hair. The claws on her fingers and tows began to grow, splitting open the digits and turning into fearsome talons. She looked up half in pain and half in triumph. Her face grew slowly longer, and ivory horns grew along her jaw-line. Her eyebrows grew thicker and scaly, along with the rest of her skin. Her tail grew steadily longer, lashing wildly around. A second pair of wings exploded from her back, and flared outward, overlapping the first pair. The skin of her hands and arms quickly gave way and ripped outward to be replaced by a scaly hide. Horns shot out of the ornate black leather tunic down her back, shredding it down the center. Finally, the entire outer human-like shell was thrown aside like a curtain, and Atma, the ancient wyrm, revealed herself. She lifted her pointed, draconic muzzle and gave a reverberating roar. The great dragon grew until it was almost thirty feet long: an ancient, four winged, black wyrm. A crest of five horns curved backward from the back of her head. 

            Atma gave a mighty roar, and glared at the fighters down below.  "Well?" She hissed, her voice now soft yet booming at the same time. "Are you strong enough?" She aske again, then inhaled sharply. Sango, Miroku, and Kagome dashed away, Shippo disappeared, but InuYasha simply stared at the gaping maw of the dragon. 

            A gout of black flame erupted from the dragon's mouth as lightning crackled down onto her wings, crackling down her back spines. InuYasha flung his arm aside as if to ward off the flame, then leapt straight through the wall of blaze rushing towards him, spinning in a flip, the fire rat cloak warding off only a small amount of the hell-fire. He burst through the wall of flame, and flashed through the air onto Atma's face, scratching furiously with his claws. Atma screamed in pain, and snapped him away with he tail, like a horse getting rid of an insect. She growled lightly and bore down on InuYasha, ripping into him with claw, horn and tooth. 

            Sango ran up towards the beast's rear, calling for Kirara, but the fire-cat didn't come. Confused, but determined, she continued, and jumped to the beast's tail, running along its spine.  Atma turned briefly from InuYasha and looked at the demon exterminator. Sango's eyes widened and she screamed in pain as every scale of the great wyrm suddenly stood erect, becoming lethal blades. Sango fell off the beast, clutching her bleeding the feet. 

            Atma took a breath and launched a gout of fire at the fallen demon hunter. Sango, however, was pulled out of the way by Miroku's wind tunnel before being burned to a crisp. Miroku replaced the beads around his arm once Sango was out of harms way. "I'll go for the wings!" He shouted to Kagome, "You cover me, and protect Sango!" He dashed up towards the great wyrm, swinging his monk's staff. Kagome knocked an arrow and let fly, also aiming for the wings. The arrow blazed through the air, flashing with holy power. It imbedded itself in one of the wing joints, searing off the scales and skin underneath. 

            Atma roared in pain, and turned towards the unprepared miko. "I'm getting tired of your arrows!" She hissed in fury. She turned from the bloody InuYasha, and flew at Kagome, her wings propelling her at incredible speeds. 

~~

            InuYasha clawed at nothing, falling through the void.  He tried to clutch anything solid, but found nothing, he simply spiraled down deeper into the darkness. Suddenly, a scream pierced his ears. He could recognize that scream anywhere. "Kagome!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, and fought with a new vigor. 

~~

            "Kagome!" InuYasha's scream rang across the clearing. Instantly, the hanyou dashed after the giant dragon rushing towards Kagome… but wasn't fast enough. Time slowed down for InuYasha as Kagome's scream of terror became a scream of pain. Talons at least a foot long slammed into the girls frail body. The scream turned into a whimper as the claws slammed her into the ground, the horrible sound of snapping bones filling the air. The claw drew back, but Kagome lay there, attempting to breath, lying in a pool of her own blood. 

            InuYasha gaped at Kagome's broken body. With a shock, he felt something he hadn't felt since his mother had died… not even when Kikyo had pinned him to the sacred tree: he felt tears sting his eyes. 

            He barreled towards the wyrm in a pure and utter fury. In a feat of pure strength he grabbed the beasts tail, and hurled her over his shoulder, away from the bleeding Kagome.  He dashed over to the poor girls still figure, looking over her broken form. He held her head up in his hand, tears falling from his eyes onto her cheeks. He gasped in hope as a small breathe eased in and out of her mouth, accompanied by a bit of blood. "Kagome…" He whispered her name. "please hold on." He stood up, and turned on the recovering dragon. He held up his hands, coated in Kagome's blood, and scowled. "You… little… bitch!" He seethed through clenched teeth. "DIE!" He swung his blood coated hands down in an arch, and blades of Kagome's blood slashed through the air at the dragon. 

            Atma roared in pain as the countless blades cut into her, drawing lines of her own black blood to her scales. As the blades cleared, InuYasha coldly observed his handiwork. Atma still stood. She looked at him with a cool reserve, her serpentine mouth turned up in a grin. "So you are strong." She said. "but your journey is not yet over." Her wings flared, and she lifted into the sky. "Now, can you have protected, but can you save those you love?" She said, and soared off into the horizon. 

            InuYasha could only look on as the beast that had done so much damage took off into the sky, escaping. Overwhelmed, he threw his arms wide in fury, and screamed out in frustration. "Damn you!" He swore. "Damn you!" He fell to his knees, beating the ground. "damn you…" he whispered. 

~~

            Kirara looked at the scene sorrowfully from behind a barely standing tree. She shook her head sadly, and let out a mew of sympathy for the hanyou. 

            A hand touched her head, and scratched behind her ears comfortingly. "Don't worry." Said a quite, warm, reassuring voice. "It'll be alright."


	8. Aftermath

            Okay, I didn't like how this chapter turned out last time, so after getting some helpful advice, I decided to rewrite it.  Thanks for your patience. 

**

            Miroku moaned slightly, and attempted to sit up. A wave of pain rushed up from his leg, throughout his entire body. He seethed in a breath through his teeth, and reached down to his leg, sitting up very slowly. He gritted his teeth, and reached through the pain until he could feel his leg. He opened his eyes briefly, and inspected the throbbing appendage. It was twisted at an odd angle, and was obviously broken, but he could still feel it: a mixed blessing. 

            He cocked his aching head left and right, scanning the ruined ground for his staff. He found it lying only a few feet away, imbedded in the ground. Drawing his attention away from the staff, however, was a very angry-looking, bleeding, semi-conscious Sango. 

            She was sitting cross-legged, putting her feet up and her hands. Her jaw was set hard, and her teeth were clenched in a grimace as she held her feet very tenderly. "Are you okay?" The monk asked her very quietly. 

            Sango looked over at Miroku suddenly, then frowned. "I don't think I can stand." She said, her voice was chocked with pain and unsheds tears. "I have no Idea where Kagome or the rest are, but I haven't heard from them."

            Miroku nodded. "My leg's broken." He said simply. "I think I can stand if you hand me my staff." 

            Sango nodded, and slowly took her right hand from the accompanying foot. It looked to be a delicate operation: Sango held her unprotected foot aloft as she reached as far as she could with her hand. Finally, the hand found the grasp of the staff, and she, with a great deal of effort, pried the staff out of the ground. Miroku reached towards the exterminator, and coughed the ring end of the staff. With much effort on his part as well, he stood up, leaning heavily on the staff. Slowly, he hop-skipped over to Sango, and looked down at her bleeding feet. He recoiled in revulsion as he saw that the had been mercilessly shredded, as if she had run down a path of daggers. 

            He lowered himself to the ground beside her, and began to inspect the wound. "Do you have any idea what happened?" He asked. 

            Sango shook her head, and winced slightly as Miroku gingerly touched a sensitive spot. "The last thing I remember was running along Atma's back. She did something weird, and all her scales stood up, like a pincushion." She shrugged, and trembled slightly. "After that, I remember falling, and a whole lot of pain."

            Miroku nodded, and began tearing his tattered robe into little strips. "I pulled you out of the fall with the wind tunnel, but it didn't do much good." He said, tenderly wrapping her foot with the strip.  "After that, Kagome shot her with an arrow, and she came after us." -another strip of robe- "I must have gotten lashed by her tail, or something," –a third strip- "because I passed out shortly after." He finished wrapping one foot with the cloth, and started on the other. 

            Sango rubbed her bandaged foot gently, wincing as Miroku treated her other foot. "I hope they're alright."  

            As the last strip wrapped it's way around Sango's injured foot, there erupted an unearthly, childlike cry of despair from behind a small rise of the scorched earth. 

            Miroku looked up at the source of the sound, and laboriously stood up. "I'll go see what's happening." He said. "You stay here."

            Sango nodded as Miroku started off. The young monk limped over to the rise and slowly made his way up the slight incline. A scene from some sort of campfire horror story met his eyes. InuYasha was kneeling in a puddle of muddy blood, clutching an unconscious Kagome to his chest. Shippo stood next to the limp Miko's side, desperately shaking her arm in a last ditch attempt to awaken her. "Kagome!" He pleaded. "Please wake up! You gotta wake up!" tears were streaming down the little youkai's face. 

            "InuYasha." Miroku said softly. The hanyou's ears trained on him, but he looked up from Kagome's pale face to the limping monk. Miroku grimaced as he saw many deep scratches on the hanyou's face, and he clothes also were frayed. The cloak of fire-rat fur that he almost always wore was reduced to a tattered rag, burnt around the edges. 

            "She's alive." Was all he said. "Can you help her?" Miroku frowned as he saw the wounded miko, and nodded.

            "I can try." He murmured, but was interrupted by a small "Oh" from his left. 

He turned to see Sango, on her hands and knees, and looking at the scene with horror. "What happened." She asked. 

            "I told you to stay there." Miroku said, but the words carried no reprimand. "Bring her over here." He instructed InuYasha, gesturing at the burnt ground beneath him.  He turned to Shippo. "Go see if you can find anything left of Kagome's bag. She normally has some sort of medical supplies in there."

            Shippo rubbed tears from his eyes, nodded, and ran off to scout the clearing. 

            InuYasha gently lifted Kagome into his arms, and set her limp form down in front of Miroku. With that done, he sat down next to Kagome's head, one of her clammy hands caught tight in one of his.  

            Miroku looked down at the young miko lying still at his feet. He sat down painfully, and began to remove the shreds of Kagome's shirt that was left. 

            InuYasha's eyes widened, and a low growl started in his throat, but Sango put a gently hand on his arm. "He needs to do this." She said gently. InuYasha glared at her, then back at Miroku. He nodded slightly, not liking it, but understanding all the same. 

            Miroku looked at him seriously. "Listen, InuYasha." He said. "There is a time for all things. There is a time for play, and a time for work. There is a time for laughter, and a time for crying. Now is a time for seriousness, not a time for women." And he once again began to remove the bloody shreds of Kagome's shirt.

            Sango looked at Miroku thoughtfully. Maybe there was something besides pervert behind those monks robes after all. 

            InuYasha closed his eyes slightly as the last of the clothing came off, but opened them again, forcing himself to see what he did not want. His stomach turned knots and loops as Miroku carefully inspected the poor miko's limp body. He suddenly felt the odd urge to rip something to shreds. His palms sweated and his mouth grew dry. It wasn't until Miroku reached up and pushed his head back that InuYasha realized he was leaning over Kagome. 

            He stood up, and began to pace back and forth as the inspection continued, flexing his claws, and swearing under his breath in agitation. All through it, one thought rang in his mind: a prayer. _Please be alright._

            Finally, Miroku wiped his fingers on his robe, and nodded. Instantly, InuYasha was down by Kagome's side. "Well?" He prompted before Miroku could even begin. 

            Miroku put a finger over his mouth, to hush the eager hanyou, and began. "First of all, there is the bleeding. This is not as much of a problem as one might think." 

            "But…" InuYasha stammered, "So much blood." He gestured to the puddle that he had been holding Kagome in. 

            Miroku looked at InuYasha seriously. "I suspect that's just as much yours as hers." He said, gesturing at the hanyou's own wounds. "However, you have possibly already stopped some of the bleeding." 

            InuYasha blinked, confused. "Wha?" he asked. 

            Miroku half grinned, despite the situation. "Well, you were holding her tight enough that you put a good deal of pressure on the wounds." He explained. "However, the wounds are superficial, at worst. As I said before, most of that blood is probably yours." 

            InuYasha looked down at himself for the first time since Atma had left. In shock, he saw that he had many nasty looking scratches and wounds that he hadn't even been noticing. "They don't hurt at all." He said. 

            "I'll look at you once I'm finished with Kagome" The monk said dismissively, and continued with his analysis. "The main thing that we should be worried about is internal damage."

            "Internal damage?" InuYasha asked. "Like broken bones and such." 

            "No" Sango supplied. "Although I'm sure she has many of those, he means something else." 

            Miroku nodded assent. "Such as a head wound, or maybe bleeding from within."

            InuYasha sucked in a breath. He knew people could die from bleeding on the inside. "Will she be okay?" He asked. 

            Miroku closed his eyes, and nursed his right hand unconsciously. "I don't know." He said finally. "Only time will tell." 

            InuYasha looked at Kagome intensely. His worried thoughts were interrupted by a cry from Shippo: "I found it!" the little kitsune cried from the southern end of the clearing. "And some other stuff. C'mon InuYasha. I found Tetsusaigia!" 

            InuYasha looked over to where Shippo was standing, then back at Kagome. Sango smiled, reading his thoughts. "Go ahead." She said warmly. "I'll look after her." 

            InuYasha opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it. The fiery young hanyou merely nodded gratefully, and dashed off. 

            He landed smoothly next to Shippo. The little kitsune was wandering around, picking up various components that used to be housed in Kagome's bag. "You okay?" InuYasha asked, uncharacteristically caring

Shippo laughed lightly, and picked up a random article. "Of coarse!" He said cheerfully, back to InuYasha. "Why would I not be?" 

InuYasha went and picked up Tetsusaigia carefully, and turned back to the little Kitsune. Shippo stood for a moment, adamantly refusing to face InuYasha. Then suddenly, he turned and ran to the hanyou, crying, attaching himself to InuYasha's leg. InuYasha made no effort to stop him, but simply let the little fox youkai cry against his leg. Shippo looked up at InuYasha with big, tear filled eyes, and sniffed. "Will she be okay?" he asked, unconsciously mimicking InuYasha's earlier question. 

InuYasha looked at Shippo fondly, scooped him up in one arm, and placed him on his shoulder. "Yeah." He said. "She'll be fine."  

**

            Okay, there ya go! A newly revamped chapter 8. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review!  


	9. Awakening

            Sorry this took so long to get up. I've been having problems with the internet lately. The servers are goin' crazy! Anywho, I rewrote chapter 8, so look at that before this. 

            Also, I realize this chapter really sucks. I'm suffering from very mild writers block, so it's taking a little while to get my groove back. Hopefully, next chapter will be better, and come sooner. 

**

InuYasha tenderly lifted Kagome up onto his back, holding Her up with Sango's boomerang. The young miko was now well bandaged and had Miroku's outer cloak draped around Her shoulders. 

            "You will have to be very careful with Her." The monk instructed. "No jumping around or anything." 

            InuYasha nodded, and turned towards the path leading to a side path leading to the main road. "I'm not stupid." He said, returning slightly to his arrogant tone of voice. Miroku grinned. The shock must be wearing off. 

            "Well, in that case. We will wait for Sango, then be off. 

            As if on queue, the youkai slayer walked into the clearing from the opposite side. "I'm back!" She called, once again dressed in Her plain village clothes. She walked up to the two men. "Have you seen Kirara around anywhere?" she asked. 

            Miroku and InuYasha looked at each other. Then shook their Heads at the youkai hunter. 

            Sango frowned, and crossed Her arms. "She didn't come when I called Her in battle either." She said. "I hope she's okay." 

            InuYasha frowned at Her. "We don't have time to wait." He said. "We have to get Kagome to Kaede as soon as possible." He shrugged. "We'll have to leave Her behind, and let Her catch up." 

            Sango started to protest, but quieted under the hanyou's stern gaze. 

            InuYasha turned, and started walking down the road. "Looks like we're hoofin' it." He said. "Let's go." 

            Miroku turned to Sango, shrugged, and followed after the hanyou. 

~~

            InuYasha growled at the infuriatingly slow pace they were going. He glanced back at Kagome's pain-filled face. "Wan, if we didn't have to be so damn careful with Her, then we could be there by now!" He exclaimed. 

            "You should feel more grateful." Miroku admonished. 

            InuYasha glared at him threateningly. "What do you mean?" He asked. 

            "We just survived an encounter with _Atma._" He said. 

            InuYasha's mouth thinned to a tight line. "The Hell are you talking about?" 

            Miroku looked at him in astonishment. "You really don't know who Atma is?" He asked. 

            Sango looked over his shoulder, where she hung, Shippo sitting on Her Head placidly. "You really don't know?" She demanded.  

            Shippo looked at the conversation curiously. "What do you mean." HE said. "I don't know who Atma is either." 

            Sango and Miroku sighed simultaneously. "Atma is a member of the dragon tribe." The formed explained. "And among the most powerful. She is the only dragon who could be classified as a Ancient Wyrm." 

            InuYasha gave them both a confused look. "But why didn't Tetsusaiga affect Her?" 

            Miroku shook his Head, and raised an imploring hand to the Heavens. "Dragons are not youkai." HE said. "And even if they were, it probably wouldn't have even tickled Her. 'Ancient Wyrm' is a title given only to the most powerful of dragons. Not only does the title depend on their power, but also on their intellect, wisdom, and cunning." 

            InuYasha grimaced. He was liking this description less and less. 

            "Atma would have to be at least a thousand years old even to qualify, more than likely more than that. Not only that, but there is only one allowed to exist at a time, so she would have had to have beaten the previous- no small task." 

            Sango nodded to the confounded Hanyou. "We are really lucky to even be alive." She said. "Not only all that, but if were on Her bad side, there will be a flood of youkai attacking us, trying to get on Her good side."

            InuYasha rolled his eyes and growled in frustration. "Great!" He yelled. "Just frikkin' great!" HE hiked Kagome up on his shoulders a bit more, and doubled his walking pace. 

            Miroku struggled to keep up. "Wait InuYasha!" He said, trying to hold Sango on his back and walk with a crutch at the same time. 

            InuYasha stopped his fierce pace and turned to look at the monk. "C'mon monk!" He snarled, unusually harsh. "IF you can't keep up, then I'm leaving you behind!"

            Miroku's perceptive eyes saw right through InuYasha's tough exterior. "Honestly, InuYasha." He said. "You really are worried about Kagome. GO on ahead, I'll catch up." 

            InuYasha's eyes widened, and He turned around, his face contorted with anger. 

On his back, Kagome stirred slightly, and opened Her eyes. 

"You don't have a clew!" InuYasha yelled at the monk. "If you think that I'm worried about Her then you don't know squat! I just want my shikon detector back! As soon as she's better, we can go looking for more jewel shards!" The Hanyou snarled at him once more, and turned to stalk away. 

Miroku's look of shock turned to one of quieted laughter as He saw that Kagome was very much awake, and looked very upset. She took a big breath, and called out in a weak but loud voice. "SIT!"

~~

            Kaede looked up from Her cross-legged position to look at the roof. The soft pitter-patter of rain hitting Her thatched ceiling had turned fiercer. "I like not the looks of this." She said. Kagome and the others had been gone for a long time, and all the omens were bad.  

            She turned back to Her original position, and closed Her eyes. _Kagome, _She thought. _I pray ye safe, child._


	10. A Girl Named Rin

            Okay, I know last chapter sucked, but I'll probably go back and edit it at some point. Anywho, I'm getting my groove back, and my writing is back up almost to par. Well, anywho, I now have the premier of Sesshoumaru and Rin. 

            Just a quick little side note, I'm a big Rin-Sesshy fan, so I boosted her age up a bit in this fic. She is now about Kagome's age, maybe a little younger. 

**

Sesshoumaru turned his head and looked back in annoyance. The young girl was still following him. He turned again, and continued walking: a calm, confident stride. Anyone who saw the noble youkai would not even begin to guess at what lye beneath the surface. 

            "Milord!" A scratchy, annoying, high-pitched voice echoed from behind him. "Please milord, wait for me!" A small, green toad-like imp dashed up from behind him, struggling to hold a hideous staff in his small hands, and began walking unsteadily beside him- two or three steps to every one of the aristocrat's. "I have decided, milord, that I am no longer able to serve you under the current conditions." No response. "Unless you apologize for testing the Tensaiga on me, then I am afraid that I will have to leave you."

            "Very well Jaken." Sesshoumaru said, his voice a steady monotone. Like lightning, his hand right hand whipped out from it's sleeve, and grasped the head of the staff. The little toad gasped at the staff was wrenched from his grasp, and Sesshoumaru continued walking as if nothing had happened. 

            Jaken gasped as his lord continued on, leaving his in the dust. The young girl that had been following them around walked past him with in a slow, methodic pace. 

            "Milord." Jaken stuttered. "Am I that disposable to you?" 

~~

            Kaede's ears alerted her to a commotion at her door. A very loud commotion, to be heard over the winds of the storm. Slowly, she rose from her lotus position, and strode to the door. The second the wooden frame was out of the way in burst a very wet group of travelers. 

            InuYasha stumbled in, carrying a very wet miko, both of them obviously very angry. Following them shortly came Miroku, with Sango and Shippo attached to his back. 

            The wet monk quickly deposited his load gently on the ground, and proceeded to begin drying off. The hanyou, an the other hand, turned to the shocked Kaede. "Where can I put Kagome?" He asked, urgently. 

            Kaede opened her mouth to rebuke him, but then saw the blood on the robe Kagome had wrapped around her. Instantly, her mind shifted over into a very practical mode, and she gestured at the little wooden ledge next to the fire. "Put her there." She said curtly. 

            InuYasha nodded, and walked over to the area indicated, and set the limp Kagome down in front of the elder miko. Kaede noticed almost instantly that the hanyou walked with a severe limp. "What happened to ye?" She asked, kneeling down beside Kagome. 

            "Well…" Miroku said, making sure Sango was comfortable, "We managed to survive a run-in with an ancient wyrm." 

            Kaede paused from peeling away the robe, and glanced at him, astonished. "Ye mean to say that Atma attacked ye?" She asked. 

            There was a general nod among the travelers. 

            Kaede's eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed, and she returned to looking at Kagome. "Not even my predictions could have foreseen this." She muttered, so soft that the humans had to struggle to her. "I knew the omens were bad, but I never would think that Atma would have attacked."  She pulled away the last of the robes and gasped at the wounds. "And yet you survived…" She said, very softly. 

            Miroku nodded at InuYasha. "Tell her what happened."

            InuYasha nodded, and turned to Kaede. Kaede nodded, listening patiently to the story, along with InuYasha's bragging interspersed.  "…So then she flew into the sky, and disappeared." He finished. He flashed a cocky grin, and flexed his claws. "And it's a god thing she did, 'cause next time I see that scaly little wench, I'm taking her down!" 

            Kaede nodded dismissively, and turned back to Kagome. "I will be needing several herbs." She said, turning to the only truly not wounded member of the party: Shippo. "Shippo, will ye help me find the things I need?" 

            Shippo hopped to his feet, and saluted. 

            The old priestess smiled at the little Kitsune. She ruffled his hair gently, and gave him a list of plants, then turned back to the others. "Has Kagome woken up since the battle?" She asked. This got a mixed response. Sango and Miroku barely managed to snort back their laughter, and InuYasha looked slightly abashed. 

            "She awoke just as InuYasha was saying some rather compromising things. The monk said. 

            Sango chuckled herself, and added. "She gave him a rather good sitting." She laughed again. "Unfortunately, InuYasha was carrying her at the time, so that was no good. She fell as well, and passed out again." 

            "InuYasha needs to learn to keep a better hold on his tongue." Miroku said, nodding sagely. 

            The fiery hanyou jumped to his feet, staggering ever so slightly. "Shaddap!" He yelled at the duo. 

            Kaede struggled to conceal the laugh behind her sleeve. 

~~

Sesshoumaru slept very lightly, so it was no wonder he awoke instantly when a slight pressure touched his arm. Almost instantly, he turned his head, and seized the intruder by the neck, holding him or her up into the dim light of the somewhat full moon. 

He was shocked (although he didn't outwardly display it) when he found himself starring into two soulful brown eyes. The young girl- no… young woman- who had been following him all day hung limply in his grasp, like some sort of rag doll. His eyes narrowed, and he let her go, letting her fall to the ground. She kneeled on her knees, and looked at him, uttering not a word. One of her eyes was swollen, and she had many bruises all over her face. 

"Who are you?" The noble youkai asked, his voice monotone, but somehow conveying curiosity at the same time. 

The girls eyes widened, and the moisture in the dried up slightly. She crawled forward, and snuggled up into the white softness of the youkai's fluffy. 

Sesshoumaru showed no outward signs, but the audacity of this girl intrigued him. But not only that, he couldn't understand why he simply did not kill her and be done with the nuisance.  It would be easy, and obviously better in the long run. Just a simple swipe of his claws. Yet something stopped him. 

"Rin." A small voice said from his side. Her turned to the young woman again, and saw he worm her way deeper into the white fluffy mass. "My name is Rin." Her voice was so soft that Sesshoumaru barely picked it up, even with his elf-like ears. She buried herself totally in the warmness, and then was asleep, leaving Sesshoumaru to his own ponderings. 

** 

            Does anybody know have an actual name for Sesshomaru's fluffy? The use of the word "Fluffy" Just sort of detracts from the scene. It's fun to call it that sometimes, but I will be referring to it in battle sometimes, and it will be kind of inappropriate to be calling it his "Fluffy" There. If someone could help me, I'd be grateful.


	11. A Youkai's Reflections

            Okay, I have gotten access to more episodes of InuYasha, so I can now see that I got a whole bunch of things wrong, chronologically. So, I will specify what has happened, and what hasn't, so as to avoid confusion. 

            **Warning: Spoilers through roughly episode 45 ahead**

            Okay, this is sort of like the InuYasha movie, the time sequence is all messed up. Okay, for starters, Kikyo has stolen Kagome's jewel shards, and they haven't gotten any back, so Kagome can't go home. Also, they already know that InuYasha transforms when he loses Tetsusaiga, however, the Tetsusaiga has not been broken, or forged, yet. Lastly, they have not met Kagura or Kanna yet, nor has Sesshoumaru seen the full youkai InuYasha yet. Okay, I hope that clears some stuff up, so here ya go!

**

Sesshoumaru looked calmly at the scared battlefield, his face displaying no emotion whatsoever. His sensitive nose shifted rapidly through the scents of the barren, charred ground. There was InuYasha here, certainly, and the girl that he always had with him. But… the hanyou's smell was different; it wasn't the dirty blood that the hangout actually had. It was regal, like his own, or maybe that of their father, InuTaisho. 

The young girl, Rin, poked around the burnt ruins a little, then ran back to the noble youkai, hiding from nothing behind him. 

The aristocrat paid the girl no mind, but continued to sift through the variety of smells of the battlefield. Finally he came to the one he wanted, like finding the appropriate resume in a filing cabinet. "Hmmm." He said. "Interesting." The ancient wyrm Atma had seen fit to attack InuYasha and his party, yet let them live. And the battle had taken place recently. The scents couldn't be more than a day old. 

A slight, insistent tugging at his side drew his thoughts away. He looked down to see Rin pulling on his silken garb. 

"We should leave." The girl said slowly, her voice terribly sore and scratchy. The girl had obviously not spoken in a long while. "This is bad place. We shouldn't be here."  

Sesshoumaru turned to regard the girl for the fifth time that day. She looked to be about fifteen, and was just starting to come into adulthood. She was bruised all over, and had many cuts on her face. Her dirty black hair hung loosely, except for a singly unruly shank tied up in a topknot. With a dim realization, he saw that her brightly colored kimono was also torn and ripped. _I shall have to get her a new one._ The noble youkai thought, and began to walk out of the clearing… only to pause. Had he really just thought that? 

He should not be thinking of the girl's well being. IT would just be easier to kill her and be rid of the nuisance. Yet something kept him from doing so. Some unseen power held him in its thrall. Yet no matter how he struggled, he couldn't escape it… and worse. Something inside him didn't want to. 

He turned to the human girl, and motioned for her to follow, walking out of the clearing, in the opposite direction that InuYasha and the others had left just a day before.  

~~

            InuYasha looked up into the starry night sky. It had been wonderfully clear every night that the group had gotten back. He reclined in his favorite spot in the sacred tree, a wonderful flat spot where several branches met up towards the top. The beauty of the sky and moon was lost on the brooding hanyou. 

            He had come to this spot a week earlier, after Kaede had started to treat the other wounded. He preferred to recover on his own. 

            Kagome had awoken several times since they had arrived, but had gone back to sleep quickly- not going outside, certainly. So, there was no reason to go back yet. 

            He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and turned on his side. The young miko had changed his life. His life was so uncomplicated before she had come. He was to find the Shikon Jewel, and become a full youkai. But now, it seemed almost arbitrary. He had been full youkai when the great dragon had attacked, and it hadn't done a single ounce of good. Nothing had done any good!

            In frustration, he jumped to his feet, and leapt high in the air, whipping out Tetsusaiga, and flailing it at the specters of the dragon that haunted him. "What good did it do?!" He demanded, screaming up at the waning moon. "The wind scar? My demon blood?" He fell back into his tree, collapsing to his knees. "What does my strength even matter any more?" 

            He breathed a deep, inward breath, calming himself, and sheathed Tetsusaiga. This was silly! He would wait till Kagome got better, and continue their search for the shikon shards, get stronger, and then go kill that wench Atma. Then, on to Naraku. 

            His plotting was interrupted as a slight familiar scent wafted into his nose. It was a nice scent- spicy and sweet at the same time, and one he knew very well. 

            "Kagome…" He murmured, and dashed off towards the village. 

~~

            "Come, Rin." Sesshoumaru commanded softly.

            "Yes, Sesshoumaru." A small voice said from behind the noble youkai. The young girl, Rin, dressed in a brightly colored new kimono, and with much less in the ways of scars and such, followed the aristocrat obediently. She followed him unwaveringly, with no doubt. "Where are we going?" She asked innocently, skipping cheerily behind him. 

            Sesshoumaru looked at the happy girl, and for the first time in years, smiled back. It wasn't a big grin, or even a picture smile. Simply a slight upturn of the lips. "We are going home." 

            "Home?" She said, curious.

            The noble once again began to stride, his face no longer betraying any emotion. "Only for a short while, then we will be leaving again. There is something I wish to know about, first."

            "What?" She asked, yet another one word question. 

            "I must ask a sword smith a question." He said, but Rin was no longer listening. She ran ahead of him, chasing a butterfly.__


	12. Back to Normal

            Okay, just so you know, I have no idea how to spell Totosai, so please be patient. Anywho, I'm gonna start trying to start typing every chance I get, 'cause I've realized that the easiest way to get writer's block is to not type for a weekend. Se here ya go. I hope the chapters will get a little longer now, but I can't guarantee it. 

**

            Kagome walked slowly out of the hut, leaning heavily on both Sango and a walking staff. She winced slightly with every step, her legs and ribs sending jarring pain up her spine. 

            "Are you sure you want to walk?" Sango asked, concerned. 

            Kagome clenched her teeth and stepped a few more steps, almost stumbling over the uneven soil. "Yeah…" She said. "Kaede has given me some sort of charm." A few more steps and another stumble. "The more I stay on my feet, the faster my body recovers."

            Sango laughed. "That has to be useful." She said, supporting Kagome carefully. "I normally have to stay down when I want to heal."

            "KAGOME!" A childlike voice rang out. A small ball of golden fur flew out from around the corner of Kaede's hut and attached itself to her face. "You're okay, and awake!" The highly kinetic Shippo said excitedly. 

            "It's good to see you too, Shippo." Kagome said, through a mouthful of the kitsune's tail. 

            "Kagome!" Miroku's tenor voice rang out from behind the corner as well. The monk ran around the corner, once again clad in good clean robes, and paused in front of Kagome. 

            The young miko now wore more traditional Japanese style outfit, with baggy red pants and an equally baggy white long sleeved shirt. Around her neck hung some sort of charm on a necklace, similar almost to InuYasha's beads. 

            "You're okay." The monk said, relieved. "We've all been very concerned." 

            Sango nodded assent, then turned a flinty gaze to Miroku. "The perv even brought it down to only two gropes per day." 

            A hurt expression came over Miroku's face. "I'm a monk!" He said defensively. 

            Whatever comeback Sango had died in her throat, cut of by a heavy thud to her left. The entire gang simultaneously turned their heads to see InuYasha rise from a couch, and stare at Kagome. 

            Hanyou starred at miko, and miko starred back. 

            Miroku coughed as an akward silence settled over the setting. It was InuYasha who finally broke the silence. 

            "Well _finally!_" He said, arrogant voice ringing loud and annoying. "It took ya long enough." His voice turned mocking. "Can we look for the Shikon Shards again now, or do you want to go back _home _for a little while." He flashed his arrogant grin, and but his hands behind his head. "Man, trust a human to get hurt with a single little scratch like that!" 

            Kagome's eyes flashed dangerously wide, and her mouth thinned in a furious line. "SIT!" She cried at the top of her lungs, and stalked off, somehow managing to make it look dangerous and impressive despite the bad limp. 

            InuYasha winced, and pulled himself out of the hanyou-shaped crated in the ground. _Well…that didn't come out like I meant it._ He thought. 

            Before his thoughts could continue any more, however, he was beset by an angry Shippo. "You meanie!" He yelled, pummeling the hanyou's head with his little fists. There was a swish, and a thunk, and Shippo fell over with little swirlies for eyes. The little Kitsune recovered, and ran after the angry miko. "Kagome!" He cried. 

            "SIT!" The voice rang out from Kagome. 

            Sango and Miroku looked at the rising cloud of dust without much interest. "Well." Said the latter. "It looks like things are back to normal." 

            Sango nodded, then felt a slight touch on her backside. Sango took Miroku's groping hand in hers, and hit him hard with it. "Baka hentai!" she muttered, walking after Kagome, leaving two men lying wounded on the ground. 

~~

            Totosai looked at his visitors apprehensively. "Now listen," He said nervously to the looming shape. "I know we have had some differences in the past, but that doesn't mean that we can't get along… does it?" The question sounded hopeful.

            Sesshoumaru looked down at the old sword smith with contempt. "You truly are a coward." His voice the same infuriating monotone. "I don't want a sword at the moment." Totosai looked at him hopefully. "I want information about the Tetsusaiga." 

            The hope drained from Totosai's ancient face, and he sat back down. "Whoo boy." He said in an exhalation. 

            "I came across one of InuYasha's battle grounds" The noble youkai said. "And found it interesting that his scent had changed." 

            "And why do you come to me?" The sword smith asked. "I don't even know what the youngster smells like. Why would I be able to change it." 

            "Also, the wind scar had been activated twice." Sesshoumaru said. "Is there any demon which could withstand even one full blow?" 

            Totosai shook his head. "There's no way." He said authoritatively. "If the beast was not hurt the first time, then it wouldn't be hurt the second." He suddenly started laughing. "But, we both know there's no youkai who could stand up to my blade!" 

            Sesshoumaru's mouth betrayed no emotion. "What about a dragon?" 

            Totosai's grin drained off his face like a melted mask. "Well…" He stuttered. "IT wasn't meant to… and well… the power balance of the wind scar…" 

            "It doesn't work on dragons, does it." 

            Totosai crossed his arms. "Don't be ridiculous!" He said, huffily. "Of coarse it works on dragons. For a dragon to be powerful enough to resist it, the beast would have to be… have to be… why, it would have to be Atma! Or something like that."  Totosai looked very impressed with his comparison… until he saw Sesshoumaru's intense gaze. His grin once again slid off his face. "You don't mean…" 

            Sesshoumaru nodded. "Tell me all you can about Tetsusaiga." He said. 

            Totosai gulped, and began to talk.

~~

            InuYasha looked over the hill it the placid Kagome. The hanyou knew that he should apologize, but he didn't want to. He shouldn't have to apologize! She would understand that he didn't mean to say what he had said. Yeah, that's it! She probably had forgiven him already! She understood! 

            Much relieved, and having a much clearer conscience, the hanyou turned around only to run into his friends. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and even old Kaede stood there looking at him, their eyebrows arched, and their arms crossed. 

            The hanyou looked guiltily at them, and turned around wordlessly, walking back towards Kagome. 

            The young miko was sitting on a rock, dangling her feet in the river that ran through Kaede's village. Her walking staff was laid across her lap, and she looked very peaceful.

            InuYasha would hate to disturb her. That, at least, was his reasoning as he turned around. 

            Kagome heard his footsteps, however, and turned towards him. "InuYasha?" She asked. 

            InuYasha froze up, and turned stiffly towards her, a guilty grin plastered on his face. 

            "Um…" he said, looking back and forth, to make sure nobody was watching. "Listen, about yesterday…" He said. 

            Kagome turned to him (With some labor) and arched an eyebrow at him: touchy subject.

            "Listen… I… uh…" The hanyou stuttered, still being new at apologizing. The only real reason he was doing this was because deep down, he knew that he was in the wrong… for once. Not that he was most of the time. Normally it was Kagome's fault. Or maybe that stupid Miroku's. Yeah… it was his fault a lot to, not InuYasha's.

            "Um… well… I just wanted to say… that… that…" 

            Kagome blinked at him in shock. _Is he trying to apologize?_

            "I… Um…" _just say it, baka! InuYasha's mind screamed at him. __Three little words. "I am sorry!" It's not hard!"_

"Uh…" InuYasha stuttered, kicking his feet. "I'm… well…"  Suddenly the kicking ceased, and his cocky grin returned. "I'm ready to go look for more jewel shards, whenever you are." He said in his standard cocky voice. Kagome's eyebrow twitched in irritation, and there was a collective groan from behind a large rock. 

            Kagome opened her mouth to 'sit' him, but never got there. Her senses were overwhelmed by something else… A large jewel shard, heading their way. "InuYasha!" she said urgently, surprising the hanyou. "It's Atma!" She said, fear filling her voice. "She's coming."

            Instantly, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kaede sprang out from behind the groaning bolder, and ran to Kagome, all weapons that they had on hand out, and on guard. 

            Kagome pivoted on the rock, and pointed out the river. "She's under the water!" 

            InuYasha whipped out Tetsusaiga, and held in front of Kagome, knowing how useless a gesture it was. 

            Their faces were grim set as something leapt out of the water with a huge, steamy spray.

**

            HAHAHA! Cliff hanger cliff hanger. 

            Anywho, in case you didn't notice, this chapter was more for fun that anything else. I needed a filler chapter to get through a pretty uneventful space, so I just sort of let my imagination run wild, and threw what needed to be in there in there when it was appropriate. See ya later!


	13. Emotion

            InuYasha threw his arm up to protect his face from the blast of steam and super heated water that rushed at him. A growl erupted from deep in his throat, and he furiously swung Tetsusaiga aside, knocking aside the spray, and pressed his attack… on Kirara. 

            The surprised hanyou managed to break off his attack before cutting the cat youkai in half, but managed to take a dip in the river while doing it. 

            The rest of the group looked at Kirara confusedly, then scoured the landscape looking for the greater wyrm. Only Kagome kept her eyes on Kirara, looking at her suspiciously.  

            Kirara looked back innocently with red eyes, then jumped up into the miko's lap. The cat youkai licked Kagome's nose, then said, in a very serious voice: "Mew!"

            Kagome blinked at the cat, and reached down, searching through the thick fur around her neck. She sensed something there. 

            Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kaede all turned as Kagome began to chuckle slightly. She sat on her rock, and in her hand was an open piece of parchment in her hand. Sitting in the middle of the parchment was a perfect hemisphere of the sacred jewel. 

            There was an explosion of water, accompanied by a stream of oaths as InuYasha hurtled out of the river, soaking wet, and ready to rip something apart. His furious expression turned to a dumbfounded one as he turned to look for Atma, but instead found all his friends dissolved in laughter, save Sango, who was busy hugging Kirara for all the little cat was worth, and Kaede, who was deep in thought.  "What the hell is going on?" He demanded. 

            Kagome managed to get her laughs under control, and held up the half of the Shikon jewel. "It was Kirara I sensed." She explained. 

            InuYasha's eye twitched in agitation. "You got us all worked up about a _CAT!?" He yelled at her. "Honestly, woman! Could you be a little less idiotic?"_

            Kagome's eyes flared dangerously. "Jeez, InuYasha! I would think that you'd be happy!" She said, agitation flaring about in your voice. "We got the jewel shard! That's all you really care about, isn't it!" 

            InuYasha's eyes widened. Was that really what she thought? He growled at her. "What was that?" He demanded. 

            Kagome rose unsteadily to her feet, leaning heavily on her staff. "All you want me here for is so you can get you're little jewel shards!" She said, fury rising in her voice. 

            Almost instantly, InuYasha could tell that this wasn't one of their normal fights. Kagome was really… REALLY angry.

            "All this time, I've been putting my life on the line so that you could get the shards!" She stormed. "The only reason you ever wanted me around was to get the shards, wasn't it?" InuYasha opened his mouth to deny the fact, but was cut off before he could say anything as the little half moon of the Shikon jewel hit him square in the forehead.  "Well fine! There's your stupid jewel! Take it!" Kagome turned around and began to stalk off. "Good luck collecting the rest of the shards without me!" She said over her shoulder, then threw in an extremely powerful sit for good measure. 

            InuYasha strained under the command, but remained standing. "FINE!" He called out after her. "Go ahead! Run home to your own time! Good luck ever getting back, cause I sure as hell ain't commin' to get ya! You can stay there for all you're pathetic human life!" His voice raised to a veritable roar. "I don't need you! I'll get all the shards on my own!" With that, he turned and launched himself into the air in the total opposite direction.  

            The rest of the group, stood there blinking for a moment, then reacted. Shippo, realizing that Kagome was headed home, dashed after the furious Miko. 

            Sango, on the other hand, quickly ran after InuYasha. 

            Miroku, however, remained behind, staring at both members of the fight going in opposite directions. 

            He sighed. "This is serious… isn't it Kaede?"

            Kaede sighed wearily, and nodded. "Aye, I fear that such a wound will not be so easily mended." 

            Miroku nodded. "However, there is nothing we can do now." He tightened and released the beads on his right hand unconsciously as he thought. "They are both to angry. It would be useless. We need to convince InuYasha to go back for Kagome after he has had time to cool down." 

            Kaede nodded. "Yet another thing puzzles me…" she said. "Atma did have a half of the sacred jewel, did she not?" 

            Miroku nodded. "Yes, a perfect half of it." 

            Kaede scowled. "Yes, then the piece that Kirara brought back is undoubtedly that which Atma possessed." She said. "Yet I have no idea what that could mean…"

            Miroku thought for a moment, then reached down and picked up the parchment that the jewel had been kept in. After a brief inspection, he nodded. "It's a map." He said. 

            Kaede looked over at the parchment. "Yes, but it looks to be several centuries old. Some of the things on this map are underwater now." She said. 

            Miroku looked down at the map, then at Kirara. "Mysteries upon mysteries upon mysteries." He murmured. 

            The cat youkai looked up at him, and said in a regal voice, "Mew!"

**

            Sorry this took so long. I've got a major English paper, and only three weeks till finals. Yeesh!

            Anywho, It took me a while to write this chapter, because I never like how it turned out. I think I have it pretty good this time, though, so tell me what you think. 

I know your gonna be really annoyed with both Inu and Kagome right now, but bear with them. 

            Also, I'm sorry Kagome has been acting sort of out of character lately, but given what just happened, and how mean InuYasha's being, I think it's justified.  Oh well. Just tell me what you think, Kay?


	14. Pain and Guilt

Shippo dashed through the woods as fast as he possibly could; yet still he could not keep up with the furious Kagome. How could someone as injured as her move so quickly?

Shippo, fortunately, knew exactly where she was going. He sped towards the forbidden well as fast as he possibly could, his little fox-feet were mere blurs as the wind rushed through his little orange topknot. 

He burst into the clearing at full speed, but was to late. He caught a flash of red and white clothing, then Kagome was gone. 

            He looked at the well in horror for some time, then tentatively looked over the side. "Kagome?" He asked quietly, his little voice wavering slightly. "Are you there?" 

            No answer. 

            He looked down the well, the slumped over, leaning against the side. "She left me…" He said, his voice half dull with shock. "I'll never see her again."

            He wiped a tear from his eye, but it was soon replaced by two more.

~~

            Kagome landed on her side of the well with a cry. Her body had been screaming at her to stop and slow down for the entire trip there, but she had kept going, and was now paying the price. 

            She fell to her knees, holding her aching, burning legs tightly, tears forming in her eyes… not just from the pain. It was over now. That had been the lat straw. She couldn't go back, even if she wanted to. Her jewel shards were in the other time now… she would never see InuYasha or any of the others ever again. 

            With a pit in the bottom of her stomach, she grabbed the ladder, and attempted to pull herself out. Her arms gave, however, and pain ripped through her as she landed square on her back. She lay there, looking strait up at the ceiling, until a large drop of water hit her on the nose. The pitter-patter of rain slowly started, then quickly turned to a raging torrent, the meager roof of the well house doing little to keep the rain off her. 

            And so, lonely, cold, and wet, Kagome cried herself to sleep.

~~

            InuYasha tore through the forest faster than he ever had before in his entire life, crashing through anything that got in his way. 

            _IDIOT!_ He screamed at himself, fleeing away from the pursuing Sango. What had he done? 

            HE made a sharp turnoff to the left as her heard Sango's voice call him. Soon, however, he saw the refuge he sought. The sacred tree was right ahead of him. With a single, easy leap, he was carried up to the top branches, into the favored cradle that he so often slept in. 

            Sango dashed into the clearing only a few seconds after him, and looked around for the hanyou. Seeing nothing, she ran out in an opposite direction, searching carefully for the runaway. 

            InuYasha turned over on his back, and sighed. It was his fault. All the times she had called Kagome a shard detector came back to him in a sharp bitter memory. Did she really think that that was all she was to him? 

            Yes… she must at this point. It was all his fault! Even when he wanted to apologize, he always biffed it by being his normal arrogant snotty self. He flexed his claws and started ripping savagely at his own arms in frustration, drawing blood.

            He couldn't once tell her how he felt, not one single time. How much she meant to him. How happy she made him feel. How wonderful it felt to finally have someone accept him no matter how dirty his blood was. 

            He gingerly lifted one of his clawed hands, and opened it up, revealing the large Shikon shard. It was a bitter victory. Growling and snarling out of sheer anger, clenched his fist around the jewel, and threw it, as hard as he possibly could into the azure sky. He curled up in a ball in his tree, and paid no attention to where the crystal landed. 

~~

            "Kagome!" A raspy old voice broke into Kagome's consciousness. "You're back!"  

            Dizzily, Kagome shook her head and looked up the well, confused. Her grandpa's head stuck out from one of the sides, and Souta's from one of the others. "Wha?" She asked, then sneezed. 

            "Hurry, my girl!" Grandpa said. "Climb up, and we'll get you some soup! You sound sick."

            Kagome shook her head, half to clear it. "I can't!" She said. "I can't make it up." 

            Grandpa looked confused. "What do you mean?" He said. "you could always climb up before." 

            Kagome sighed wearily. "Well I didn't have a broken leg before, either!" She said, half yelling, half moaning. She knew it was mean and unwarranted, but she was in a _very _bad mood today. 

            Souta blinked at her.  "Broken legs?" He asked. "What do you mean?" 

            "I have a broken leg!" She yelled this time, her mood growing fouler by the minute. "Just get me up there so I can take a shower!" 

            Grandpa blinked at her, then nodded. "Souta, go get mama and some rope!" He said, then turned back to Kagome. "Don't worry, my girl. Things will be fine."

            Kagome shook her head miserably. "No they won't." She said. "Things will never be fine again." 

**

            WHEW! MAN! Now I know why so many people write angsty stories. Their pretty fun, and you can really get into them. 

            Anywho, don't worry, the angst wont last to mush longer. Mabey two or three more chapters, or something like that. 

            HA! And I said this story would end up short. And, I'm planning on doing a sequel to it already. So, hopefully, it won't end up as short as I thought it would. Please bear with me!


	15. A Mother's Love

            Grandpa carried Kagome carefully into the house, somehow managing to lift her as if she weighed nothing. "Kagome… how did you manage to get yourself into this condition?" He asked. 

            Kagome looked up at him through slit eyes, and managed to grin slightly. "I ran into a dragon." 

            Grandpa looked at her in shock, but Souta took it the wrong way. "WOW!" said her kid brother. "A dragon? Really? Was it big, did it breath fire? What was his name? Did you kill it? Did it have a jewel shard?" 

            Kagome, used to her brothers constant questioning, answered all these in stride. "Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. She, and Atma. No." However she reacted to the last question as if stung. A tear formed in one of her eyes, and ran a long way down her face. 

            "Sis?" Souta asked innocently. "Are you okay?" 

            Kagome gave no response for a short while, then declared firmly: "I need a shower." 

            Both Grandpa and Souta looked at Kagome worriedly. 

            As they carried her inside, Mrs. Higurashi rose to great them, but could only look on in horror as she saw then carrying Kagome. "Is she all right?" She asked. 

            Grandpa looked at Kagome's mother gravely and shook his head. "She says she needs a shower." He said. "but I shall start the traditional mend-the-bones-that-were-broken-by-the-dragon chant as soon as we get her into bed."

            Kagome smiled fondly at the old man. "Kaede already tried that one." She said, attempting to lighten the mood. "I just need a good shower and a hot bowl of real food." 

            Kagome's mother, however, could easily see the heartbreak behind the voice. Calmly, she sat down and sipped at a cup of tea. "Well, in that case you should take a shower." She said reasonably. Rising again, she walked over to the kitchen. "Can you walk?" She asked. 

            Kagome nodded. "Kaede gave me a charm to help me get better." She said, holding up the simple necklace that hung around her neck. "The more I'm on my feet, the faster my bones will mend."

            Grandpa took one look at the necklace, gasped, and half dropped Kagome in joy. "An authentic miko necklace!" he cried. Souta, acting quickly, grabbed and supported the half of Kagome that his grandfather had dropped. 

            Mrs. Higurashi returned out of the kitchen with a makeshift walking stick made out of a broom. "Use this." She said, carefully handing the broom stick to Kagome. "I'll help you up the stairs." Quickly, she turned to Souta and Grandpa. "Hurry up and make a meal. Kagome will be hungry after her bath." 

            Souta and Grandpa both nodded, and dashed into the kitchen. Kagome nodded greatfully to her mom. "Thanks." She said. 

            Kagome's mother gently put her arm around her daughter, and slowly headed for the stairs.

~~ 

            An hour later, a well bathed, fed, and clothed Kagome sat silently on her bed, attempting to go to sleep… but it wouldn't come. 

            Images of InuYasha and the others kept floating by in her mind. Shippo, when he had tried to steal InuYasha's jewel shards when the first met. Sango, opening her arms, and surrendering himself totally to her brother, Kohaku, willing to die rather than fight with him. Miroku's kind, yet slightly lecherous friendship, and… and… InuYasha.

            There was a creak, and a sliver of light pierced into her room, searing her eyelids. She moaned softly, and a soft voice pierced her thoughts. 

            "Kagome?" He mothers voice drifted to her- warm, comforting, and soothing. "Can I come in?"

            "Yes." Kagome said meekly, feeling a little shy for some odd reason. 

            There was the sound of footsteps on her floor, and then a slight pressure beside her on the bed. There was silence for a moment,  then, Kagome felt a little pressure on her back. Slowly, her mother tenderly stroked up and down, soothing away all the tension. Her mother had often come in and comforted her this way when she was little. For just a brief second, she felt it all slip away in the comfort of knowing that no matter what happened, no matter what she did, where she went, that this woman- her mother- would always love her with all her heart. 

            But then it all came rushing back. The image of the great claw of the dragon slashing down at her. The almost calmness as she waited for InuYasha to dash in the way, and snatch her out of harms way as usual… and the hurt and betrayal as the needle sharp claws dug into her body. 

            Dimly, she was aware that she was in her mother's arms, sobbing uncontrollably, telling her everything. How InuYasha had tried o hard to help her, all the time, and she had just brushed it aside. How she had been so selfish and pig headed not to see how InuYasha had always been protecting her, from their very first battle with Yura, when he had given her his fire rat cloak, and gotten wounded severely because of it, to when he threw Atma over his shoulder as if she had weighed nothing in an attempt to keep the wyrm away from Kagome. And yet she couldn't even see what he was trying to say when he had said those cruel thinks to her. 

            She had left Shippo, as well. She was the only one he had too look up to and call "Mom." She had acted like a selfish brat, and left him behind. Sango and Miroku too! 

            And now they were gone! GONE! She would never see _him_ again! Ever. Not once. InuYasha definitely wouldn't come back for her after she had said those things. No… she had blown her only chance, and now would pay for it for the rest of her life…

            Eventually, the sobbing stopped, and the tears dried. Kagome fell asleep in her mother's comforting arms. 

~~

            InuYasha awoke very late the next morning. He didn't however move. There was no incentive to move. He had ruined the only real true friendships he ever had. 

            Kagome hated him, and was definitely in her own time by now. Shippo probably hated him too, because of what he said. Sango and Miroku couldn't be too fond of him at this point… and besides, even if he did go to Kagome's time, why would she want to talk to him? 

She probably would be better off without knowing him anyway. At least then she would be safe. He couldn't even protect her when it counted. It was all his fault that Kagome had gotten hurt in the first place. It was his own weakness that had made it so that this all happened. Had he been faster and stronger, then he could have saved her. He could have taken Atma out like that. 

_Atma!_ She was to blame as well! She would die, even if it took InuYasha all his life. She would suffer far more than Kagome had! So much more! 

InuYasha, now with a new purpose rose to his feet. There must be someone who knew where the lizard lived. He would definitely have to leave the others. They would probably be happy that he was gone anyway.  After what he did, they had every right to be. 

He rose to his feet, and leapt out of the tree… only to run right into Kaede. The old lady looked at him calmly. 'And what will you do now?" She asked. 

InuYasha looked at the miko helplessly. Without a word, he slunk past her, felling lower than dirt, and half trudged, half crawled into the dark forest. 

**

            Well… I think that that was one of my better chapters… one of my much better chapters. Umm… the real plot will be thickening within two chapters, definitely, so bear with me. Thanks.


	16. Friend's Forgiveness

            InuYasha felt one last pang of guilt as he passed the last landmark that marked his separation from all he had known for the last half year. The bone eater's well stood silent and calm… nowhere near as impressive as one would expect a portal to the future to be. Slowly, feeling that it would mean something, he walked to the well and knelt down. 

            "Kagome…" He whispered, looking down into the darkness at the bottom of the well. "I'm just an arrogant bastard…" His fists clenched around the rim of the well. "I could never tell you while you were here… but now that you're gone… I'm sorry." 

            "Then you should go back and tell her that!" A childlike voice rang out right next to his sensitive dog-ears. The hanyou's head whipped up, and ended up starring into the large, blue eyes of Shippo. "If you really feel that way then go tell her you're sorry." He said. 

            InuYasha starred at him for a moment, then rose to his feet. "Forget it." He said. "She probably hates me now… I let her down." He said. "She wouldn't listen even if I did go!"   
            There was a hollow thwack as a large bone boomerang hit him on the back of the head. He whirled around to face Sango. The youkai hunter was giving him an unbelieving expression. "Honestly, InuYasha, you should stop being so selfish!" She said, her temper rising. "You never once considered that we care about Kagome too, did you? You are just afraid to go see her because you'll hurt you poor little pride and you think she'll still be mad at you."

            InuYasha glared at her, then turned to stalk away, only to run headlong into Miroku. The monk gave him a disappointed look. "Honestly, InuYasha, I suspected you were a fool before, but this is the first time I've ever actually been convinced of it." 

            InuYasha snarled at him, and tried to brush around him, but the monk's staff blocked his way. 

            "InuYasha," Miroku continued. "We all know that you didn't actually mean those things you said to Kagome… and trust me, she understands too." 

            InuYasha grabbed the staff, and wrenched it from his grasp. "Then why did she leave?" He demanded. 

            Miroku stared at him, "Well… Kagome was looking for a way to get home for starters. She would have gone only slightly after the shard had gotten here anyway. The only reason she yelled at you was because she was probably extremely stressed about the events of the week. You did insult her, but what normally would have earned you a sit had sparked her anger and she blew up at you." He smiled at the pouting hanyou. "You must realize that it is partially your fault, but also partially hers, as well as the circumstances. 

            InuYasha growled softly, and shook his head. He didn't want to listen to this! He was trying to be on a revenge quest! Why did that damn monk have to make so much sense now, of all times. 

            Behind the frustrated hanyou, Shippo giggled. "Watch out Miroku. He's pouting, and he hates being force to stop."

            Sango walked up to InuYasha and put her hand on the hanyou's shoulder. "And besides… you're being too impulsive." She said. "You can't take out Atma alone."  
            InuYasha glanced at her. "How did you?"

            Sango almost laughed at him. "Lucky guess." She said. "And besides, everyone knows that you can't fight without Kagome here to protect."

            InuYasha starred at his friends, and shook his head. "There's just no escaping you guys, is there?"

            Shippo jumped on his head, and grinned down at him. "Nope!" He said happily, "and we won't leave you alone until you go get Kagome!" 

            InuYasha sighed, then threw Shippo of his head, hard. "Okay…" He said, giving up. "I'll stay here for a little while longer, but I'm not gonna go get Kagome yet." He said, his trademark cocky grin spreading on to his face for the first time since Kagome left. "I wanna make that girl really sorry for what she did." 

            Miroku, Sango, and Shippo exchanged glances, and nodded.

~~

            "Are you sure you want to go to school, Kagome?" Souta asked his sister. "You still look pretty darn weak." 

            Kagome looked down at her little brother from around her crutches. "Of course." She said. "Just keep on carrying my backpack for me." 

            Souta looked at her, then shouldered her massive backpack with a grunt. "I still don't see why you got to see a dragon, _and _get to have you bags carried for you."

            Kagome saw right past her brothers comments to the meaning behind them, and returned in kind. "Remind me next time I see it, and I'll feed you to it, Brat." She said. "Brat" definitely deserved a capital letter in that sentence. Kagome used it like a name for her brother. 

            As the approached Kagome's school, there was a bright gasp, then three feminine voices called out the schoolgirl's name.   
            Kagome's three best friends in this time, Ayame, Suzume, and Koaru, dashed up to her with worried expressions on their faces. "Kagome!" The shouted in unison, and quickly bombarded her with all sorts of questions. "Kagome, did it hurt?" one asked. 

            Kagome blinked. "What?" 

            "Falling down that hill of course!" Ayame prompted. "Did it give you amnesia?" She gasped. "Who am I? What is your name? How many fingers am I holding up?" 

            Kagome blinked at her friend. She was no match for Souta. "Ayame, Kagome, and three." 

            The three giddy schoolgirls let out a major sigh of relief, and relaxed. "Good, that means you can go on your date with Hojo tomorrow."

            Kagome starred at her friend in disbelief. "You didn't." She said. 

            Koaru grinned at her. "Yep!" She said. "Congratulations, on Friday you have a date with one of the cutest guys in school. 

            Kagome grinned slightly. "Great…" She said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Wonderful." 

            Suzume ginned at her. "We knew you'd be glad!" She said, completely missing the sarcasm. Then she glanced at InuYasha suspiciously. "Or do you still like this mystery man you've been telling us about?"

            Even her three friends, who probably had the combined IQ of a radish, could tell instantly that this was a touchy subject. Kagome instantly stiffened up, and went the rest of the way to school in silence. 

~~

            Kagome groaned as she entered her classroom. There were already math equations and theorems up on the board, a sure sign that math was the first subject they'd be studying today. Kagome really disliked math. It used to be her favorite and best subject, but all that had fallen by the way-side when she had stumbled into the warring states area and lost all free time. She couldn't understand the material without studying, and studying was kind of hard to do while running away from monsters. 

            As the class came in and settled down, the teacher, Mrs. Nose (Pronounced with a voiced "e") walked in. "Alright class, settle down." She said. The class reluctantly obliged. She briefly took attendance,  but stopped and looked up at Kagome as she got to her name. "Well, Kagome, looks like you finally decided to join us for class again." She remarked dryly. "I trust you have been able to study?" 

            Kagome looked at her teacher with an aghast expression. "Um… maybe?" She responded helplessly. 

            Mrs. Nose looked at her with a merciless smile. "Good… we have a test today, so I'm sure that you'll have no problems with it. 

            Kagome's aghast expression turned to one of horror. "Um… okay." She said meekly, knowing better to argue with her teacher. After all, it wasn't her fault that Kagome had to go to the past to save the world. 

            The test was handed out, and Kagome's horror increased a hundred fold. What little she had managed to study had been in the wrong chapter! As Kagome began to struggle through her test, a slight headache began to catch on. By the second problem, it was just a slight pain. At the third, an annoyance, no more. BY the fifth, Kagome was getting distracted by it, and the numbers were swimming around the page in odd patterns. It wasn't till almost the tenth problem that she dimly heard a thud with the only part of her brain that wasn't consumed with trigonometry or pain. There was a communal gasp, and the sound of people suddenly rising from chairs, but all Kagome could see was the floor. The floor? That's was funny. Why was she facing the floor. Suddenly, Kagome felt herself hauled to her feet, and ended up starring into he worried eyes of Mrs. Nose. "Are you okay?" She asked. 

            "What?" Kagome asked, only semi-coherent. 

            Her teacher glanced at her with a worried expression. "You suddenly fell out of your desk." She said. Kagome's head cleared suddenly, and she looked around to see herself sitting on the floor with the entire class starring at her. With a sudden blush, Kagome struggled to her feet. "Sorry!" She stammered, and took her seat. "It must have been the heat." She said. She was burning up as it was.  
            Kagome's teacher gave her an even stranger look. "Kagome, it's fairly cool out." She said, feeling the air with her hand for emphasis. 

            Kagome blushed even harder. "I'm fine!" She said, and continued to work on her test with renewed fervor. 

            Mrs. Nose gave her a concerned look, and returned to her desk.

~~

At lunch, Kagome could barely eat a thing. Her headache had gotten much worse, and her vision kept blurring on and off. She felt as if she was burning up, and she sat at her table miserably, so much in pain that tears almost ran down her face. The fact that Hojo wouldn't leave her alone didn't help. He was a nice boy and all, but he didn't know when to be quite! 

            He kept on going on about how beautiful she looked, and how happy he was that she was going out with him, and how sorry he was that all these things kept happening to her. Why couldn't her just shut up and let her sleep. Her headache was increasing by the second, and now it was followed by a very queasy feeling. 

            "Kagome?" A voice asked her, although she couldn't identify the speaker. "You're walking awfully crooked." 

            What was the voice talking about, she was sitting down… or maybe not. Her head hit the floor, and everything went black.


	17. Two Weeks

            InuYasha leapt into the clearing quietly. The well was only two feet away from him, and he could make it down easily without anyone hearing, but… the hanyou scoured the clearing left and right to make sure nobody was watching anyway. 

            Once he was satisfied, he disappeared down the mystic portal, snickering at his own cleverness. Wouldn't the others be surprised when they woke up with Kagome among them again!

            About five minutes after InuYasha had left, Miroku, Shippo, and Sango all dashed out from different corners of the clearing. 

            Miroku looked at the other two. "You had the same Idea too?" 

            Sango crossed her arms at him. "You know," She said, "I could have sworn that you were the one who is always saying we shouldn't spy, because InuYasha's shy." 

            Miroku suddenly seemed to get very nervous. "Well…" He stuttered. "You misunderstand! I was simply coming here to make sure everything went right. I'm a monk, so naturally I am above such worldly things as spying." 

            Shippo also crossed his arms as well. "And perversion?" He asked. 

            Miroku cleared his throat. "Well," He said in an overly loud voice. "I'm ready for a midnight snack!" 

            Sango and Shippo sighed in unison. 

~~

            InuYasha leapt out of the well silently, and made his way over to Kagome's window. He rapped on the glass slightly, hoping against all hope that Kagome had already forgiven him. There was no response. Growling in annoyance, he slid open the window, and peaked inside. She wasn't in her bed. _That's weird…_ He thought. HE removed his head from the window, and sniffed at the air. Her scent still hung heavy, and it was very easy to pick up, but it wasn't fresh. He dropped to all fours, and sniffed at the ground expertly. 

            Rising back to his feet, he nodded slightly, and took a massive running start then leapt into the night sky. 

            His hanyou speed and strength carried him easily over the weird, bright city that Kagome lived in. She called it something like To-Kee-Oh, or something like that. Not that it mattered. InuYasha couldn't understand why the girl was so concerned with this place. Her role was back in the warring states era, with the rest of them. 

            He followed her scent through the night sky, leaping from building to building, looking left and right for all possible signs of her. Finally, he arrived on the roof of a strange building made out of red, stone, rectangles. The place had the scent of Kagome all over it, along with the scent of hundreds of other kids. Was this the horrible place called "School" Where they forced Kagome and all her "Classmates" to take "Tests?" 

            InuYasha almost immediately decided he didn't like this place. And besides all the horror stories Kagome had told her about it, it was too bright. At the front of the building had a big white horseless carriage with red and blue lights whirling on and off on it, and it made an annoying whistling, howling noise. 

            His sensitive dog ears could pick up a bit of conversation here and there.  "Do you think she'll be alright?" One voice asked. 

            "I hope so." Another said. 

            "I hear Hojo's already over at the hospital." Said yet a third. "He's such a good guy. She should do better to just dump whoever else she's seeing, and go with him."

            InuYasha frowned. This wasn't doing any good. Who did they hope was alright? What was going on? And who the hell was Hojo? InuYasha leapt down to a lower floor right below the three talking girls, so as to be able to hear over the whistling carriage. 

            "I'm going over there as soon as I can." On girl said. "Her family is already there."

            "I didn't think she should go to school today." Said the second. "She was looking pretty beat up, walking on those crutches."

            Looked pretty beat up? Who were they talking about? No! It couldn't be Kagome… could it?

            A man approached the three girls. He wore a white suit, and looked very practical. "Girls, I know this comes as a shock to you." He said. "I'm sorry this had to happen. As it happens, I'm heading over to the hospital now, so you can come with me and look in on Kagome." 

            InuYasha winced, feeling guilt build up in his stomach again. If she was hurt because of him, then he would never forgive himself. As the three girls loaded into the odd white coach, he lightly jumped from the roof of the building to the top of the car, making next to no noise. 

~~

            Ayame, Suzume, and Koaru walked into the hospital waiting room silently. Already there was Hojo, all of Kagome's family, and several other students from their school. Almost immediately, Hojo rose and courteously offered his seat, and (After some prompting from his mother) Souta followed suit. 

            "Do they know what's wrong?" Said Ayame worriedly.

            Hojo shook his head, and glance at the E.R. room nervously. "There was some mention of internal injuries." 

            Suzume gasped, and sat down in her chair, hard. "Oh, God." She said. "What happened?" 

            Before anyone could answer her question, there was a scream from outside the wasting room, and the door literally burst off its hinges. Filling the space where the slab of wood had been, there was a boy… or at least he looked like a boy. HE had long silvery hair that was definitely not in style right now. His clothes looked to be extremely dated as well, and he wore no shoes. The oddest thing, however, was the fact that he had, on the top of his head, twitching every witch way, a pair of dog ears, the same color as his hair. 

            Hojo on the rest of Kagome's schoolmates shrank back in horror, but Kagome's entire family seemed almost relieved. The boy stalked over to Mrs. Higurashi, and put his face right down one inch from hers. "Where's Kagome?" He demanded. How did this odd dog-boy know Kagome? 

            Mrs. Higurashi amazingly looked at the threatening boy with total calm. "She's in surgery right now, InuYasha." She said. InuYasha? Who was InuYasha? "You should wait out here until she gets done." 

            The odd boy growled. Literally. It was a low, deep, guttural sound deep in the back of his throat. "What the hell is ser-jeree?" He demanded. The boy didn't know what surgery was? Where did he live, in the woods? 

            Mrs. Higurashi retaliated smoothly. "The doctors are just trying to see what's wrong with Kagome. You should wait here until she gets out." She gestured kindly to the only vacant seat… or at least it was vacant by the time the dangerous looking boy turned his head to it. As he walked over and sat down, a very pale nurse walked in, and regarded InuYasha cautiously. 

"Excuse me." She said meekly. "But if you insist on keeping your sword in here, then I'm going to have to ask you to leave." 

The boy, InuYasha, as Mrs. Higurashi had addressed him, looked up sharply, and glared at the nurse with fierce, molten golden eyes. The nurse paled even more and promptly gave him a little bow. "However!" She said hurriedly, "If you behave yourself, I'm sure we can let you stay." And she disappeared. 

~~

            InuYasha was quickly growing impatient. All the girls that wore the same outfit as Kagome kept staring at him and whispering. Normal people couldn't hear, but he sure could. 

            "Do you think those ears are real?" 

            "It looks like it. What do you think he is?"

            "Do think it's the boy that Kagome likes?" 

            "I don't blame her! Even if he does look a little weird, he is really hot!"

            "Yeah! I mean, he makes Hojo look like yesterday's meatloaf!"

            "Maybe if we can convince Kagome to go out with Hojo one of us can have him."

            InuYasha turned to them, having heard quite enough, and fixed them a long unfriendly glare. "They are real, and I can hear very well." He said, with murder in his voice. 

            The three girls turned to him surprised, and began to blush.        

            InuYasha returned to sitting in silence, gazing about the room. There were several other people staring at him as well, including Souta. Granted, Souta starred at him whenever he was around, so that was no big deal, but he found that he didn't like that one boy, standing in the corner. He was tall, and had black hair, and was obviously wondering what business the hanyou had here. InuYasha didn't like the boy in the least. Was this Hojo? What was going on between him and Kagome?

            InuYasha rose to his feet, and began to pace around the room, his inpatients growing by the second. Kagome's mother had explained that when the little light above the door went off, then that meant the surgery was over… what ever a surgery was. 

            As he paced, every eye in the room followed him: Left, then right, then left, then right, then left again. So on and so forth, until one of the girls shyly approached him. He whirled on his heel and brought his face down level with hers. The girl was so pale she could have passed for death herself, but she bravely carried out her mission, under close supervision of the other two. The girl deliberately reached up, and grabbed on to his ears. 

            The action surprised InuYasha so much that the hanyou stood strait up too fast, overbalanced, and toppled over to the ground, falling hard on his butt. The girl backed up again, and ran back to her group, giggling. "They're real!" She squealed. 

            InuYasha growled slightly as he got to his feet and started over towards the girl. However, before he could do anything, there was a slight "ding," and the light above the door went off. Almost immediately, the tension in the room lowered, and The Higurashi family got to their feet. Everyone was already standing at the door when the doctor cracked it slightly. 

            "Only the family of the girl, please." He said. A lump sank in InuYasha's stomach. His voice was very apprehensive. 

            The Higurashi's filed in, but InuYasha was stopped. "Only the kin of the patient please." Said a nurse. InuYasha briefly considered whipping out Tetsusaiga, but turned that down as a bad idea. Instead, he pressed his head up against the crack in the door, and cocked his ear strait up against it. The doctor saying something, but it was garbled. InuYasha listened for a moment more, then his eyes widened. Before the nurse even knew what was happening, InuYasha embedded his hand in the door, and pulled it off its hinges as if it were a toothpick. 

            He dashed into a room full of sober-looking adults, and one crying Souta. Briefly, he noticed that Kagome was lying, semi-conscious on a bed in the corner of the room, strapped to all sorts of odd metal gadgets and such, but he paid her no mind. He strode right past the objecting nurses strait up to the doctor. The hanyou pulled himself up to his full height, and stared straight down at the doctor. "What was that?" He demanded. The doctor seemed to shrink before his very eyes, becoming smaller and more timid by the second. He looked to Mrs. Higurashi, and she nodded. 

            "InuYasha…" Came a weak voice from the corner of the room. Momentarily forgetting the doctor, InuYasha stalked over to Kagome's bed, snatching her hand. "Kagome." He said, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry." He said, a tear falling from his face to the side of her hospital apron. The tear said volumes between them. 

            The doctor nervously approached InuYasha. "Um…" InuYasha turned to the poor doctor demandingly. "What's wrong with her?" He demanded. In his peripheral, he saw the three girls, and the boy sticking their heads through the door. 

            "Kagome has suffered sever internal hemorrhaging, a large amount of infection due to an unidentified agent, and has only made her situation worse by partaking in strenuous exercise."

            InuYasha's eyes widened in horror. Shippo had said that Kagome had run all the way to the well, and jumped down as if nothing was wrong. 

            "We probably could have patched her up had she not been so hard on herself, but as it is, I'm not sure if there's anything we can do." 

            InuYasha starred at the doctor intently, horror and rage turning his amber eyes to the molten color of melted gold, the pain of them radiating to everyone in the room. "Meaning?" he said, his voice barely above a hoarse whisper.

            The doctor swallowed apprehensively. "Kagome has two weeks to live… at most."

**

            Okay, it's finally there. From here on out, there's gonna be about one chapter for every day for a little while. If there's a really action pact chapter, I might make it two, or mabey even three, until we get to the last two days. Those will be longer. See ya later. And remember, more reviews means faster and better updates, so please, if you take the time to read this chapter, you could at least review it. It only takes two seconds!


	18. Seek Out Vadise

            It was a joke! InuYasha stumbled back, gaping at the doctor, up against the wall. Slowly, the hanyou's eye's traced the room, looking left and right for the signs of merriment and laughter at his own gullibility. 

            It had to be a joke! Souta was crying. The three girls were holding each other, trying to hold back their tears. The odd boy called Hojo looked like he was about to pass out. Kagome's mother was covering her face with her hands, and her grandpa was having difficulty even breathing. There was only a single smile in the entire room: Kagome's. A sad, forlorn, bitter smile, yet a calm one, full of thought and acceptance. The hanyou faced her in horror. She didn't look away from his gaze, and continued to look at him with her sad eyes and hopeless smile. The hanyou stumbled out of the room, and faced the place where he had waited, his head bowed. It wasn't a joke.

            IT WASN'T A JOKE! The hanyou stumbled to his knees, supporting himself on a nearby chair. Why? Why? The other waiters in the room were staring at him, but he payed him no mind. Shakily, he rose to his feet, and wandered over to a corner table, staring at a lamp. 

            It was a beautiful lamp. It had one of those fancy lights that worked without flame, and was hidden behind a brightly colored glass so that it would cast pretty shadows all over the room. It was a very beautiful lamp, all the way up to when it left the hanyou's hand and smashed into the opposite wall in a shower of perfect, multicolored, glass teardrops. 

            The other waiters in the room screamed in panic, and struggled to get out as InuYasha became a red blur, and the rest of the chairs and tables in the room were turned to kindling in a matter of seconds. With all the room's furniture scrapped, InuYasha dashed out of the room, looking for more things to destroy. Anyone unfortunate enough to get in the hanyou's way was thrown roughly aside, and any unfortunate piece of the building that happened to be located in an inconvenient position was promptly relocated to several different locations. 

            By the time InuYasha lepta through the swinging glass doors, scattering them in different directions, there was a large crowd in front of the hospital. InuYasha didn't even pause to regard them, but leapt over them into the darkness and disappeared. 

            Form up above in her room, Kagome looked down at the chaos ensuing the hanyou's rampage with sadness. "InuYasha…" She murmured, pleading for him to come back. 

~~

            InuYasha burst from the well hurtling into the sky, dimly, he caught the scent of Miroku. He looked down and saw the monk standing next to the well. Waiting right next to him were Sango and Shippo. He dropped back to earth in a slow arc, landing behind them. They turned to face him expectantly. "Well, InuYasha?" Miroku asked. "Where is Kagome?" 

            InuYasha's eyes flared open in rage. _KAGOME!_ The hanyou was on miroku before the monk could realize it, and a single punch to the nose knocked him halfway across the clearing. Sango looked at him confusedly. "What happened?" She asked. Two rock solid fists descended on her savagely, and the demon slayer crumpled like a leaf in a fire. Shippo looked innocently up at InuYasha. 

            "What's going on?" He asked, fear thick in his voice. InuYasha glared down at him, his eyes starting to take on a red tinge. Shippo gasped in fear, and stumbled backwards. The hanyou snorted at him, then sprinted out of the clearing like a flash of red lightning. 

            InuYasha tore through the trees at breakneck speed. Any tree that got in his way was quickly ripped in half, and didn't even put a dent in the speeding beast. InuYasha was following the only thing he could think of at the moment: Kagome's scent. But, he was following it backwards; back to where this all began. 

            InuYasha arrived at the charred clearing in a mere few minutes, and whipped out Tetsusaiga. "ATMA!" He roared at the top of his lungs. "WHERE ARE YOU!"  

            As if in a magical response, there were footsteps behind him. InuYasha whipped around, only to find himself starring at the back of a white, regal outfit, and a long, white, fluffy trailing boa. 

            Sesshoumaru turned to him and starred at him with an expressionless, regal face. "I knew you would-" Whatever the aristocrat was about to say was cut off as InuYasha's claws squarely embedded themselves into his chest. Sesshoumaru's normally impassive face was suddenly contorted in pain. The noble youkai's shoulder guard fell to dust. 

            Sesshoumaru almost negligently grabbed his half-brother's arm, recovering from the pain instantly. "Well, well, brother," He hissed, for once in his encounters with InuYasha showing a slight sign of anger. "It seems you have improved you're skills recently." He hissed. With that, he wrenched the arm out of his chest, and swung InuYasha away. "However, I don't want to fight you while you're like this." He said, resuming his emotionless expression. 

            "Well, to bad!" InuYasha yelled at him, exceeding even his normal volume. The raging hanyou charged at him again, but now Sesshoumaru was ready. The noble seemed not to move at all, but merely appeared on the other side of the clearing. 

"You are still very slow, InuYasha." He remarked. "However, I want to fight you as a full youkai." He said, pausing slightly for dramatic effect. The effect was lost on InuYasha. Almost as soon as the words had left his half brothers mouth, Tetsusaiga had flown to the opposite end of the clearing. 

"You little bastard!" InuYasha hissed as his claws steadily got longer. "I'll rip you to shreds!" 

Sesshoumaru watched with interest as his half brother went through his transformation. His claws and fangs grew longer, and his eyes started to glow even brighter red. His ears and hair seemed to bristle, and get wilder and more savage. Long stripes climbed up his cheeks, and a low growl started in his throat. For a brief second, Sesshoumaru felt taken aback at the sheer hatred and anger that literally poured from the now youkai. InuYasha rose halfway out of his crouch, full of bloodlust, and full intent on killing the youkai in front of him. 

Then, InuYasha started to do something totally unexpected. He laughed. A horrible, shrieking, laughter that promised of spilled blood. Sesshoumaru felt a brief shock as a cold sensation ran down his spine. Was this feeling fear?

Before he could consider the feeling any more, InuYasha was on him. The hanyou-gone youkai was no longer even thinking, but was merely fighting with his instincts: act then react. 

InuYasha dropped down out of the air at Sesshoumaru like a giant bird of prey. Sesshoumaru barely managed to dodge the slash in time, then found his feet take out from under him as InuYasha's claws flashed under him. The noble youkai landed on his back, and pushed backwards with his feet, narrowly avoiding getting his lead taken off. This was not how this was supposed to happen! How could InuYasha have gotten so powerful, even if he suddenly became full youkai? It was as if he was possessed by something even more powerful! 

All Sesshoumaru's thoughts, however, were being handled by his subconscious. All his real thoughts, however, where on staying alive. No matter what he did, Sesshoumaru couldn't get at InuYasha. He fired his whip out, InuYasha managed to contort himself around it, and keep on hurtling at him. If he dashed forward, InuYasha flashed behind him. The hanyou was untouchable, and all the while his insane, haunting laughter rang out, echoing through the trees and over the darkened horizon. 

InuYasha continued to batter away at his half brother, slashing at the aristocrat's defense, boiling red waves radiating from his claws. Then, in a last ditch effort, Sesshoumaru reached behind him, and hurled his fluffy boa at the unsuspecting hanyou. The soft white mass wrapped around InuYasha several times, and proved to be very strong… but it fell to pieces in seconds. Sesshoumaru starred at the hanyou, his expression still somehow monotone, but underneath his mind was calculating and re-calculating. 

All the thought, however, turned out to be in naught, as InuYasha ripped out of the last section of Boa and came hurtling at him like an unearthly beast, his eyes, claws, and clothes creating red blurs in the air. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, and came to only one solution: he braced himself for the final blow. 

But the blow never came. There was a high scream, and _something_ dashed out of the woods at InuYasha. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he saw the little girl, Rin, throw herself heedlessly in front of InuYasha, arms wide, and feet firmly planted. Time slowed down as InuYasha hurtled towards the young woman. As InuYasha's claws raced towards her stomach, something snapped in Sesshoumaru. There was a white blur, and Sesshoumaru was on his feet, and racing with InuYasha towards the girl. 

But, he wasn't quite fast enough: Rin's scream pierced the night sky. 

A split second later, Sesshoumaru's whip smashed InuYasha away from Rin. The girl, however, was completely unharmed, albeit very pale, and shaking. Sesshoumaru glanced at her, saw she was alright, then turned to InuYasha. The hanyou was once again just that: a hanyou. His eyes were back to a cool amber, and his claws were back to their normal size. He was trembling all over. 

That girl's expression. It had been just like the one that had been burned into his memory as Atma had struck Kagome. A mix of pain and betrayal, and shock at having a protector fail. "I couldn't get there in time." He gasped, feeling pain and guilt well up in his chest. Sesshoumaru perked an eyebrow, but said nothing, staying on guard. "It's my fault." The hanyou stammered. "I made her run back." One clawed fist slammed into the ground. "I couldn't get there in time." He said. 

_So that's what is happening_ Sesshoumaru realized. _His little human companion was wounded in the fight, and now she will die._ Nothing happened on Sesshoumaru's face. 

Slowly, an idea began to form in InuYasha's pain fogged brain. He looked up at Sesshoumaru, and pointed across the clearing at Tetsusaiga. "Take it." He said, almost pleading. "Do whatever you want." His voice was gravely, and had a desperate twinge. "Just leave Tensaiga here." He said. 

Sesshoumaru looked at his half brother almost in pity. Looking down at Rin, he could almost feel what the hanyou felt. He looked back up. "I cannot." He said. 

InuYasha's expression sank into disbelief. "Wha?" He said. 

Sesshoumaru came as close to a smile as InuYasha had ever seen, and looked up from the odd human that stood at his side. "I find that Tensaiga is much more valuable than a hundred Tetsusaigas." He said, drawing the girl slightly closer to him. "And most certainly I cannot go against Atma. I would kill myself, and Rin." He said, glancing down at the girl again. The girl squished closer to him in response. 

InuYasha's eyes took note. _Is he actually protecting a human? _

Sesshoumaru looked at him evenly. "However, there is one who would dare to defy Atma without a second thought." He said. "She should have plenty of power to help you're woman." He said. InuYasha flinched at the word "Woman," but said nothing. 

Sesshoumaru turned to leave. "Make no mistake, InuYasha." He said over his shoulder. "I will kill you." He started to leave, taking the girl with him. His voice rang out from the trees. "But until then, seek out Vadise." 


	19. Kidnapping

            Awkwardness was thick enough to have made a very nice jelly in Kagome's living room. The doctors, after judging that there was nothing they could do had sent her home, with their apologies. 

            As if an "I'm sorry" would prolong her life!  

            When they had arrived home, they had found almost all of Kagome's class waiting for them. 

            Now, Kagome sat silently in a chair, a headache forming in her head, and half of her staff staring at her, not quite sure what to say. What do you say to you're friend when you know she's going to die?

            Kagome herself felt like she was in a dream. The doctor had told her that she had two weeks to live, and to make the best of them. Was it all a dream? Kagome inwardly snorted. No, it wasn't a dream. It wasn't a joke, or a prank, of a movie, or anything like that. The look on InuYasha's face had been real. The horror and the sorrow had been real.   
            The hanyou blamed himself for what had happened, that was obvious, but why? It had been Kagome's fault! She was the one who had ran away, and made her wounds worse. Why would InuYasha think himself responsible? He never took responsibility for anything, even if it was his fault. Why would he start now? 

            And what was she supposed to do in these last days? Just hang around, and try to have a good time? With death looming over her like a shroud? And what was she supposed to do about her life in the warring states era? Just tell her friends sorry, and leave? What would she say to Shippo? What would she say to InuYasha? 

            She was pulled away from her thoughts as four figures approached her tentatively. Ayame, Suzume, Koaru, and Hojo all looked at her with tear riddled faces. "Um… Kagome?"  They said tentatively, creeping forward slowly. 

            Kagome looked at them, coming out of her daze. "Oh, hi." She said, almost as if she was greeting them on the street. "What's up?"

            The three girls looked at each other, then burst into tears, throwing themselves on top of each other in front of her. Kagome blinked at them, then looked up at Hojo. "Um…" she said, looking suddenly very shy. "I guess this means that we wont be able to go on that date on Saturday." She said, chuckling to herself slightly. The entire ordeal just seemed so surreal. 

            Hojo stared at her for a moment, then started to chuckle along with her. "In all honesty, I haven't thought about that since you keeled over in lunch yesterday."

            Kagome smiled at Hojo, and shrugged. "It just seems so weird. I don't wanna die, but I'm not scared at all." 

            Hojo looked down to the floor quickly, remembering the situation. "Kagome, I-"

            "Don't." Kagome cut him off. "Just don't." She said, sighing, and looking down at her soggy friends lying prostrate on the ground. 

            Slowly, they got to their feet, and dried their eyes. "Hey Kagome?" Ayame stuttered. "Um… something's been bothering us." She said. 

            Kagome looked down at them. "What?" 

            "Well…" Koaru started. "Last night at the hospital…"

            "…There was a boy there." Suzume added. "He had this…"

            "Long white hair." Ayame finished. "Who was he?" 

            Kagome looked at them for a moment, then turned to her mother, who was listening to the conversation from the kitchen door. "Mom, should I tell them?" She asked, seriously considering it. It would feel so nice just to tell everyone what had been happening in her life, the real reason she was going to die. 

            Kagome's mother smiled back at her. "Well, it can't possibly hurt." She said. 

            Kagome nodded, and stood up. "I've got something to show you," She said, intent on telling her closest friends everything. 

            The four schoolmates rose with her, and fell in behind her as she began to make her way towards the door that led to the temple yards. As she opened the door however, something barred the doorway. 

            Kagome, startled, backed away from the doorway, and stumbled backwards, falling to the floor. "InuYasha!" She stammered, looking up at the figure in shock. 

            Standing above her was a tall figure. He wore thick red clothing, and had long silvery hair. Sprouting from the top of his head was a pair of dog ears, and his fingers sported long-claw like nails. 

            He looked down at Kagome with an almost half crazed expression. "You're coming with me!" He demanded. 

            Kagome looked up at him in shock. "What do you mean?" She said, but before she could even finish, she found herself bodily lifted off the floor by the fiery hanyou. 

            "I'm the one who did this." He whispered I her ear. "I will not let you die!" With that, he threw her over his back, and dashed off, running towards the ancient well house. 

            Kagome's four classmates ran out after her, only to see InuYasha leap a solid fifty feet into the air, then smash through the roof of the well house, and drop into the well. 

            All of Kagome's class stared out at the smashed well house in shock, and blinked collectively. 

            Kagome's mother, and grandpa walked out of the house and starred at the damage. "Well…" Kagome's mother said, "We have some explaining to do." 

**

            Okay, this chapter really wasn't that great. Sorry. Also, it's only the first half of this chapter, so it's really short. Sorry. I've got a major paper due on Tuesday, and finals. So, I'm sot of cramped for time now. I cant even add authors notes. 

            Only thing about this chapter, is how Kagome is acting. As you've noticed, Kagome seems incredibly calm. This is mainly because she is in shock. As it was expressed, she really can't believe this is happening. 

            But anywho, I'll try to update more once summer begins. (Hopefully once every one or two days, with long chapters.)


	20. We Leave Tomorrow!

            Kagome pummeled on InuYasha's back furiously. Why was he doing this? She had been trying to spend some time with her friends, and he just bursts in and nabs her? Right in public? What was wrong with him?

            InuYasha said nothing as Kagome's little blows rained on his back, stalking determinedly towards the village. By the time the two arrived, Kagome had gotten tired of punching him, and was busy threatening him. Finally, she got very tired of being carried over his shoulder, and scowled. "SIT!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, causing him to slam into the ground with tremendous force. Suddenly deprived of any support whatsoever, Kagome also fell, landing neatly on top of him. 

            InuYasha let out a gasp, and tried to struggle to his feet, only to be weighed down by Kagome. 

            There was some slight scrabbling, and a ball of orange fur whipped out of one of the buildings at high speeds, crying Kagome's name at the top of its lungs. InuYasha looked up from his sprawled position, and snatched Shippo out of the air, clutching him by the scruff of his neck. "Back off, idiot!" He barked at him. "She's fragile!"

            Kagome blinked at this comment, and 'sat' him again, crawling over to Shippo, and gathering him in her arms. "Don't be so mean, InuYasha!" She yelled at him, her temper flaring. 

            InuYasha slowly sat to his feet. "And you shouldn't be walking around so much!" He yelled at her, jumping to his feet, and dusting himself off. 

            "Kagome?" two voices came from inside the hut Shippo had come from. "Are you here?" Miroku and Sango looked tentatively out of the hut, scanning the area for the miko. 

            Upon seeing Kagome cuddling Shippo, they immediately let out a sigh of relief, running out to the fallen miko. "Are you alright?" Miroku demanded immediately. 

            Kagome wasn't quite sure how to answer that. 

            Sango dashed up soon after him. "What happened?" 

            Kagome looked at her, confused. "What happened when?"

            Sango cocked her head at her. "Last night, between you and InuYasha." She said, as if it was obvious. 

            Kagome looked sharply at InuYasha. "He didn't tell you?" She asked. InuYasha didn't return her gaze. 

            Shippo looked up at her, giving her an innocent happy look. "Kagome," He said. "You shouldn't leave anymore. I want you to stay here with us."

            "Tell us what?" Miroku asked. 

            Kagome looked down at Shippo, then back up at her friends. _I have two weeks to live, at most._ The implications of that started to sink in. She gave Shippo a sad look, and picked him up. "We should go inside." She said. "Tell me what happened last night after InuYasha came back." 

            Sango and Miroku nodded, and led her into the hut, although InuYasha stayed outside. The inside of the hut was a jumbled mess. There were scrolls, books, pictures, and all sorts of things scattered throughout the floor. Carefully, Miroku cleared away a section, and motioned for Kagome to sit down. 

            Kagome began to sit, but a lance of pain shot up through her leg, and she fell down hard. Shippo looked at her worriedly. "Are you okay?" he demanded. 

            Kagome gave the kitsune a half smile, and turned to Miroku and Sango. "Haw did you get those bruises?" She asked. Miroku lifted a hand to his back and blue nose, and Sango rubber her head tenderly. 

            "InuYasha was in a very foul mood when he returned from you're time." The former explained. "He leapt out of the well, and took both of us out."

            Kagome blinked. "He what?" She asked. InuYasha had been upset, but attacking his friends?

            Sango nodded. "He ran of, then came back a few hours later, still very angry." She elaborated. "He promptly demanded that both of us find out whatever we could about someone named Vadise, and then left again. Apparently, he's been going through the village demanding anyone if they know of anyone by that name."

            Kagome thought for a moment. "Why is he doing that?" She mused out loud. "What does that have to do with anything?" 

            Sango looked hopefully at her. "Do you know who he is?" She asked. 

            Kagome shook her head. "No." She said. 

            Miroku thought for a while, then shrugged. "Well, there's no point in thinking about it for a while." He said reasonably, then turned his attention to Kagome. "It's obvious something happened in you're time that made InuYasha angry." Kagome winced. "What happened?"

            Kagome looked down at the floor, then laughed slightly, though totally without any amusement. "Well…" She started. "Apparently my wounds were worse than we thought." 

            Miroku sighed. "So… you wanted to come back here to get Kaede to heal you, but couldn't because-"

            "I have two weeks to live." Kagome cut him off bitterly. 

            Silence. Absolute silence filled the hut. Kagome's three friends stared at her in shock, their mouths hanging agape. No one even blinked until InuYasha stormed into the hut. 

            "Why the hell aren't you looking for Vadise?" He demanded angrily of Miroku. 

            Miroku glanced from Kagome to the hanyou, then back again. "What do you mean?" He demanded, rising to his feet, getting angry. Sango and Shippo also glared at InuYasha angrily, but Miroku was, for some odd reason, beyond fury. "Kagome is going to die!" He said, his voice getting softer, but getting more threatening all the time. "And you just want to find some weird freak that no-one had head of?" For a moment, InuYasha blinked at him, and backed up. "What's wrong with you?" He demanded. "I knew you were selfish, but this is beyond excuse! You're friend has only a short time to live, and you don't even care! You little bastard! I'm ashamed to call you a friend!" He said, his voice now just above a whisper. "I should just suck you into my wind tunnel and rid the world of an arrogant, egocentric, selfish little bastard of a hanyou right here and now." 

            Before he could even continue, he found himself held up against the wall by a very angry InuYasha. "Listen!" HE demanded. "If you want even one little chance of saving Kagome, we have to find Vadise, wherever of whatever he is!" HE informed the monk. "I don't know any more than you do, but I know this." HE got even closer to the monks face. "I will _not _let Kagome die." 

            With that he dropped the monk, and crossed his arms, glaring around at the rest of the group. "Well?" he prompted. 

            Sango looked at InuYasha, then at Miroku, then glanced over at the pale Kagome, then back at InuYasha. She nodded, with a new hint of determination in her eyes, and began to shuffle though scrolls. 

            Miroku himself looked up at the hanyou, and nodded at him, returning to the books as well. 

            Another silence fell over the room, this one imposed by InuYasha. The hanyou seemed different somehow. HE seemed to be almost possessed by some unstoppable force, and he kept glancing at Kagome nervously. 

            Shippo was still staring slightly ahead. Suddenly, as if coming out of a dream, he looked up at Kagome with big, green eyes, and suddenly jumped into her lap, and hugged her around the waist fiercely, refusing to let go, tears brimming in his eyes. "I won't let you die!" He declared at the top of his lungs. "You just can't die!" 

            Kagome looked down at the little kitsune thoughtfully, then stroked his head comfortingly. Almost at that instant, there was a light pressure on her head as well, and she looked up to see InuYasha looking down at her, his hand gently on her head. He was smiling down at her with a comforting expression. For a brief moment, Kagome felt safe, warm, and secure. All the things that plagued her life just melted away. 

            The moment was severed, however, as InuYasha also knelt down beside Sango and Miroku, and began to look through the scrolls. Mostly, however, he only looked at maps. Every once in a while, he would pick up a scroll full of writing, and look at it for a while. Kagome had to choke back some laughter as he turned the writing upside down, then sideways, looking perplexed. Gently, she picked up Shippo, and crawled over to him, and turned the paper right side up. 

            InuYasha looked at her in surprise, glanced down at the floor sheepishly, and put the paper down. Kagome patted him lightly on the shoulder, and began to search through the various articles with them. 

            It wasn't long, however, before InuYasha held up a small piece of parchment. "What's is this?" He demanded suspiciously. 

Miroku looked over at the parchment, then shrugged. "Oh, that's the piece of parchment that Kirara carried the jewel shard in." He said. "It has some sort of map on it, but it looks to be too old to be of any use."

InuYasha starred at the map a moment more, then burst full out into laughter. The sudden outburst caused everyone to stare at him. "How could I have been so stupid?" He said. "Of coarse! Why else would only he know about it, and nobody else?" He demanded of no one in particular. 

"What?" Miroku asked. 

InuYasha flashed the map in front of his face. "We leave tomorrow." He said. 

**

            Whew! That was a bit better than last chapter, but I'm still not totally able to concentrate. I've got a test tomorrow, another test on Friday, and finals next week. YEESH!

            AS for what's up with all the OOC-ness, just imagine what they're going through, and think of how OOC you'd be!  

            Anywho, I've only got about five days of school left, and them I'm out for the summer. WOOOHOOOO!

            By the way, My E-mail was down all weekend, so if anyone tried to E-Mail me, then I probably haven't gotten it. 

            Thanks a lot! TOODLES!


	21. Please Trust Me

            A small insistent tugging nagged on Kagome's consciousness. IT was an annoying little pulling from some unknown source. She moaned slightly, and turned over, trying to escape it, but it just got stronger.

            "Kagome." A voice called her. "Kagome." 

            She moaned again, trying to escape the voice, turning over yet again. 

            "Kagome!" The voice said, getting harsher, and the tugging increased. "C'mon!" Get up!"

            Kagome opened her eyes slightly, and saw InuYasha standing above her, nudging her with his foot. "C'mon, lazy!" HE said. "We gotta go!" 

            Kagome gave another moan, and buried her head in her blanket. "Coffee!" She demanded. 

            InuYasha blinked, and nudged her a few more times. 

            "With lotsa cream!"  

            InuYasha sighed, then reached down and grabbed Kagome's arms. The young miko gave a complaining squeak as she was bodily lifted from her little spot on Kaede's hut, practically dripping with sleepiness and lethargy.

            "InuYasha?" She said, plowing through a yawn. "Why are we up this early?" 

            InuYasha set her on her feet, and she stood there unsteadily as he gave her a long even look. "We're looking for Vadise… remember?" 

            Kagome cocked her head, and blinked at him. Then, like a lighting bolt, all that had happened in the past two days erupted on her. "Oh." She said meekly, all the sleepiness dispersing like vapor. 

            InuYasha looked at her understandingly, and nodded. He turned and led the way out of the hut, not bothering to wake Kaede. 

            Shippo and Miroku were already getting ready to go when InuYasha and Kagome arrived. Briefly, Miroku looked up from stuffing food in a pack, and nodded at them. 

            Shippo, quite a bit more exited to see Kagome, immediately jumped into her arms, and gave her a huge hug. 

            Miroku looked up at InuYasha "Have you seen Sango?" He asked.

            InuYasha blinked and shook his head. "Nope. Why?" 

            Miroku stroked his chin in thought. "Well… she said she was going to look for Kirara." 

            As if on queue, Sango walked up, looking dejected. "I can't find her anywhere." She said, her voice radiating depression. "She never runs off like this." 

            Miroku stood up, and lifted the pack to his back. "Well, even if we don't know where she is, we need to get going."

            InuYasha nodded. "Are we al ready?" He asked. 

            All eyes turned to him. "Well, I'd like to know where we're going." Miroku prompted. 

            InuYasha coughed suddenly, and looked slightly nervous. "I know where we're going!" He said defensively. 

            Miroku cocked an eyebrow at him. "You said something about it making sense that only 'he' would know about Vadise." Miroku said. "Dare I ask who 'he' is?"

            InuYasha suddenly got much more nervous, and muttered something indecipherable. 

            "What?" Sango asked, leaning closer. 

            "Sesshoumaru…" InuYasha said very softly.

            Everyone blinked. "You mean that were taking directions from Sesshoumaru?" Shippo demanded. 

            InuYasha's temper flared. "Shut up!" He yelled. "He wasn't in much of a position to lie when I asked!"

            Kagome looked at him. "You fought Sesshoumaru?"

            InuYasha nodded. "He said he wanted to fight me as a full demon."

            They waited for a moment. "And.?" Sango prompted. 

            InuYasha shrugged. "I fought him." HE said, as if it was obvious."

            Kagome smacked her forehead, and the rest just sighed. "You purposely threw aside Tetsusaiga and fought him as a full demon?" The miko demanded. 

            InuYasha scowled at her. "Shut up! I was annoyed, okay!" He yelled. 

            Kagome seemed to get angrier by the second. "I can't believe you pulled me away from my family just on some stupid hunch that Sesshoumaru gave you!" She yelled. With that, she stood up. "I'm going home!" She declared, much to the dismay of everyone. "I'll be back in a few days!" She said, stalking off. 

            Sango, Miroku, and Shippo stared at her, then at InuYasha. The hangout, however, seemed to not be getting angry. In an almost calm manner, he stood up, and ran after Kagome. 

~~

            Kagome stalked into the forest towards the sacred well, not really angry, just annoyed. How could InuYasha have been so idiotic? He actually trusted his brother, the one who had tried to kill her so many times. He was just wishing for the impossible. She was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it. She couldn't really blame the guy for being down. 

            Her thought were interrupted as she ran into something red… with amber eyes and silver hair. She looked up at InuYasha, and gasped. "InuYasha…" She said. 

            InuYasha looked down at her, and sighed. "You aren't going home." He said… his voice gentle, yet stern.

            Kagome's eyes narrowed. "InuYasha…" She said threateningly. Before she could 'sit' him, however, he reached forward, and grabbed her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Kagome's eyes widened in shock as his arms encircled her, and trapped her in a warm, gentle embrace. 

            "You probably hate me…" InuYasha whispered, so soft that Kagome had to strain to hear. "I don't blame you… but please… trust me. It's my fault you're like this. I was to damn proud. It's my fault that you ended up running home. But please, trust me." 

            Whatever Kagome was about to say died in her throat. "InuYasha." 

            "I tried to strike a bargain with him." The hanyou said. "I tried to get Tensaiga… but he wouldn't give it to me. He's changed. HE had a human girl with him, and protected her more than he guarded himself…" His breath was coming in shuddering breaths now, and his arms held the young miko tighter. "He said that he had learned to appreciate his birthright. He said he couldn't go up against Atma personally. The only thing he could do was give me a name… Vadise." 

            Kagome was at a total loss for words, tears starting to form at her eyes. 

            "Please… I know that Sesshoumaru isn't the best, but we can trust him this time." The hanyou said. 

            Kagome looked up in the hanyou's face, then collapsed fully in his arms, crying, burying her face in his warm red coat. 

            "InuYasha…" She stuttered in between sobs. "Please… I don't… don't wanna die." 

            InuYasha held her close, stroking her head comfortingly. "I won't let you…" He said. "I won't let you."

            After a few moments, Kagome rubber her face on his sleeve, and smiled up at him. "InuYasha…" She said. "Thank you."


	22. A game of tag

"They're on their way." A feminine voice said.  
"Good." Another responded in turn, this one seeming younger.  
"So. the hanyou found the map?" Said a third, this one masculine.  
"Aye. it was easy." The first voice responded, laughing slightly.  
"And did she get the jewel shard he threw?" Said the second.  
"Indeed." The first responded.  
"Perfect. this is going better than even I suspected."  
"Yes. but that girl. Sango. She confuses me." Said the masculine voice.  
"She should. she holds the key to you're past." Said the first.  
"My past? I thought that was lost forever."  
"Well, the human mind is an incredible thing." The first voice said, warmly. "One can never expect how it works. You should watch her carefully."  
"I will."  
"When did they leave?" Asked the second voice.  
"Yesterday." The first said. "We should leave soon."  
"Well, if we have to." The second voice whined. "Why are they messing with these people anyway?"  
"You know them." The first laughed again. "They're meddlers, and besides, this involves Midoriko. They always keep an eye on her."  
"Aaa-hhh!" The second voice said, sounding enlightened. "So that's why you got involved in this. We haven't worked together in some time you know."  
"Hmph!" The first voice said, affronted. "I would thank you to keep my personal reasons out of this!"  
"Hey guys!" A new voice approached. "If you're gonna be around here any longer, I think I'll leave. You're boring me. I'll go ahead to Shinjuku and watch for them there."  
"Right!" Said the first voice authoritatively. "You go ahead. I'll stay hidden, making sure they are safe."  
"I'll stay with you." Said the third voice. "I want to watch Sango far a while."  
"Well," Said the second voice, sounding board. "I wanna play for a little while. I think I'll go and see them."  
"I wouldn't do that it I were you." Said the first voice. "You saw how the hanyou can get when he's mad."  
"Don't worry." Said the second voice. "I'll be careful." **  
Kagome shifted herself uncomfortably. Kirara, she found, was very easy to ride. Trying to cling to InuYasha's back for more than thirty minutes, however, proved to be quite a pain in the butt (Upper back, actually, but Kagome didn't feel like making a stupid joke out of an already stupid cliché).  
"You okay?" InuYasha asked, looking over his shoulder at the young miko.  
"I'm feeling really sore." She said. "Can we stop pretty soon?"  
InuYasha rolled his eyes. "C'mon Kagome! It's barely past noon, and I'm hardly tired at all!"  
Kagome considered him thoughtfully. "True, but I'm the one that's riding, and I'm the one who can just say the word-"  
"Okay!" InuYasha said, not wanting to hurtle to the ground while running. "We'll stop! Fine, Jeez!"  
There was a slight panting from behind them, and the hanyou and the miko both turned simultaneously to see Shippo, in the form of a small horse fall to the ground, his tongue sticking out, and panting in exhaustion. Kagome couldn't really blame the guy. Carrying Sango and Miroku all that way would have to be tiring.  
"Kagome?" He wheezed, pulling himself out from under the pair. "can we stop yet?"  
Kagome smile, and nodded. "Well stop at the next good place we come to."  
"YAY!" The Kitsune cried happily, and promptly climbed up to the top of InuYasha's head.  
The hanyou raised his eyes to the kitsune in annoyance, but did nothing about him.  
With that the journey resumed, albeit a bit more slowly. until they at last walked out of the woods and into warm sunlight.  
InuYasha stopped, and gently let Kagome down. Slowly, the miko rose to her feet, and looked around the hanyou at the clearing.  
"WOW!" She said. The place was beautiful! The sky was a brilliant azure blue, with white puffy clouds wafting gently by. A light breeze ruffled against her cheeks, and turned the uniform green of the grass into a wonderful sea of emerald. Off to the west, a small waterfall trickled into a serine pool. Through the field, wildflowers sprouted and bloomed freely. The grass, not having ever been properly cut, reached up easily to her thighs. "It's beautiful." She breathed, her hair brushing up against her cheeks.  
Sango and Miroku walked up, looking about if wonder.  
Kagome turned to InuYasha excitedly. "Can we stray here today?" She asked. InuYasha looked at her oddly.  
"No!" He said. "We have to hurry!"  
Kagome's lips thinned, then pursed in a little pout. "C'mon, InuYasha? Please?"  
"We can rest here for a little while, but then we need to go." He said sternly.  
Kagome crossed her arms and pouted. "Why not?"  
InuYasha looked at her. "Need I remind you that-"  
Kagome fixed him with a very threatening look. "No you don't!" She said, and stalked off, heading for the pond. Sango looked and InuYasha, shrugged, and followed her, with Shippo close in her wake.  
Miroku walked over to InuYasha, and watched them carve a path through the grass. "There is nothing quite as pure as the innocence of nature, InuYasha." He said, sounding very wise.  
InuYasha cocked an eyebrow at him. "Huh?"  
Miroku shook his head, and resumed watching the girls, praying that they wanted to take a bath. ~~  
Kagome could hear Sango and Shippo talking behind her, but paid them no mind. This was a type of beauty that one really couldn't enjoy in modern Tokyo. Sore, there were parks and such, but they were so artificial. This place was wild. Where else could you have grass that reached up to her waist.  
"Hey, Kagome!" She heard Shippo cry. "Wait for us!"  
Suddenly, almost by divine inspiration, Kagome got an idea. Carefully, she dropped down, and crawled into the grass top her left, making no trail.  
Sango and Shippo quickly arrived at the spot where her trail broke off, and looked around. "Kagome?" Sango called. "Where are you?" Worry infected her voice.  
Like lightning, Kagome reached out and grabbed Shippo's shoulder. The little Kitsune practically jumped twenty feet in the air, and screamed bloody murder. His eyes must have been the size of dinner plates. As he came back down, Kagome collapsed in a fit of laughter.  
"Hey!" he demanded, "That wasn't funny! Right Sango." HE turned to the demon hunter.  
The face that Sango wore trying to choke down laughter couldn't possibly be described, so it will remain up to the imagination.  
Slowly, Kagome recovered, and sat up. "Whew!" She said, wiping a tear from her eye. "That was fun."  
Shippo glared at her. "You meanie!" He cried, obviously not meaning a word of it.  
Kagome's eyes narrowed, and her grin widened. "Hey Shippo." She said softly.  
Shippo looked up at her. "Huh?"  
"You're it!" She said, and took off, running through the grass, quickly disappearing.  
Shippo blinked twice, then turned to Sango. "I guess were playing tag." He said.  
Sango wiped the tears from her eyes, and nodded.  
Calmly, Shippo placed a foot-paw against her ankle. "You're it." He said, and took off in the other direction.  
Sango starred at his trail, and cocked her head. "Well, that can't be fair!" With that, she also started tearing through the grass. ~~  
"What are they doing?" InuYasha said, as three separate trails spread out below them in the thick grass.  
"I believe it's a game known as tag." Miroku said. "One person is 'it,' and he tries to tag another person. The person who gets tagged is then 'it'"  
InuYasha scoffed. "Feh! What a stupid game."  
Miroku looked at him. "You never played games when you were a child?" He asked.  
InuYasha looked at him, then turned away. "Keh!"  
Miroku sighed, and shook his head. Suddenly, however, Sango dashed out of the grass, rapped him lightly on the side, and ran off again. "You're it!" She called.  
Miroku thought for a second, tracing where the three lines were, and quickly decided on the easiest prey. Lighting fast, he reached over, and tapped InuYasha on the shoulder.  
InuYasha turned to him, and cocked an eyebrow.  
"You're it." The monk said, and dashed off.  
InuYasha blinked at him. "Oh yeah?" He exclaimed, and dashed after the monk. "We'll see about that!" ~~  
Kagome rooted herself deep in the grass, hiding rather effectively. They'll never find me! She said, knowing that this was a kids game, yet not caring in the least. Suddenly, a hand placed itself on her shoulder. She whipped around to see a flash of red and silver, and a loud laugh. "You're it!" InuYasha's voice drifted to her ears.  
Kagome's lips thinned, and she started to run after him. Slowly, of coarse, making sure not to strain herself, but it was a run, non-the-less.  
  
The game, however, stopped as the miko suddenly fan headfirst into the side of something.  
It was big, almost as big as a wolf, and it was covered in blue fur. Slowly, the thing turned and looked at her. It looked sort of like a cross between a wolf and a rabbit, having a wolf like body, but large fluffy ears, and very soft fur. It's back was a light blue color, and its underbelly was pure white. Its tail was big and bushy, almost like Shippo's, blue at the base, and white at the tip. Sprouting from it's back were two elegant, feathery wings. Its eyes were soft and blue, and shone with a cool intellect.  
Slowly, Kagome back away from it, but it quickly moved around behind her.  
"Well, well?" A soft, feminine voice rang out in her head. "I guess I'm it now, huh?" **  
Okay, this was a very different feel from all my other chapters. I was getting tired of having all those dark chapters in there, so I threw in a nice, happy one.  
Now, for those of you who are gonna flame me for having them play a "Kiddie game" (I know you're out there) then don't bother reviewing. I'm sixteen, and I still play "Kiddie games." Don't make fun of them. They are the funnest games in the world.  
Also, this is my homage to nature. Am I alone when I say that the countryside rocks? I live in western New York, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and cornfields, and I wouldn't trade it for the world! 


	23. A high speed game of tag

            _"So… Kitty has met them… Well, then, let's watch and see what she does."_

_            "Yes. That's a good plan."_

_            "Tell me, does seeing Sango play like that remind you of anything?"_

_            "Yes. I can remember… when I was very little… we used to go and play in the fields…"_

_            "Where?"_

_            "They were… outside a village… I can't remember."_

_            "Hmm… well, then, let us continue to watch in the shadows."_

_            "Yes."_

~~

            Kagome blinked at the creature. "Excuse me?" She asked. 

            _"Am I 'it?'" The voice in her head asked. _

            "Who are you?" She stuttered, trying to scoot away. 

            _"Can't you tell?" The voice said with a laugh. _"Cute, blue, furry, standing right in front of you. Take a guess."__

Kagome gasped, and glanced sharply into the beast's eyes. "You."

            _"Yep."  The beast said, it's 'voice' suddenly sounding very feminine. _"Am I 'it?'"__

"Umm." Kagome said, a little overwhelmed. "I guess so…"

            The beast showed her a very toothy grin. _"I like tag." _ Suddenly, the thing was gone, just a ruffle in the grass was left. 

            Kagome blinked, then snapped into action. "InuYasha!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. "Careful! There's something here!"

~~

            InuYasha 's easy twitched slightly as Kagome's cry reached him. "Naturally!" He turned and started to head for the source of the cry, but was cut of as something blue dashed across his path, and disappeared into the grass to his right. 

            "What the hell?" The hanyou demanded, and turned onto the thing's path. What was going on?

            _"HEY!" a voice suddenly erupted in his head, causing him to trip and fall flat on his face. __"I'm it right now! I'm supposed to chase you!" _

            Suddenly, something leapt on his back, then off again. He looked up to see a blue, winged wolf sitting right in front of him. 

            _"Okay… now you're it!"  With that, the thing disappeared again. _

            InuYasha stumbled to his feet. "What the hell?" 

            Another call from Kagome pierced his ears. HE shook his head, and launched himself into the air, looking for the young miko. The girl was lying about a hundred yards away, in a patch of flattened grass. 

            The hayou dropped down, and dashed over to the miko as fast as possible. "Are you okay?" He demanded. 

            The girl looked up. "I'm fine… but there's some sort of thing running around."

            "Blue wolf?" InuYasha asked dryly. 

            Kagome blinked. "You saw it?" She asked. 

            InuYasha nodded, and squatted down next to her. "It doesn't seem very nasty, although it pounces hard."

            _"EXCUSE ME?" The voice said in his head suddenly. _"I am a 'she' mister, not an 'it!'"__

InuYasha blinked. "Did you just…?"

            Kagome nodded, and stood up. "What do you mean it pounces hard."

            _"She!"  The voice insisted. _

InuYasha sighed, and pulled her down. "I mean, she pounced on me, and told me I was 'it.'"

Kagome cocked an eyebrow at him. "You mean that she's just playing?" She asked. 

InuYasha sighed. "I guess so."

Kagome thought about that for a moment. The wolf was playing, and InuYasha was it. She looked down at her feet, then at InuYasha, then left and right. "Well…" She said, "In that case…" She suddenly disappeared, dashing off strait past InuYasha. 

"Wha?" The hanyou said, blinking. Suddenly it dawned on him. "Oh hell no!" HE yelled, and dashed after her, following her trail. 

~~

            Sango and Miroku stood back to back, weapons drawn. 

            "What do you think it is?" Sango asked. "This isn't really a spot most youkai would hang out in. 

            Miroku nodded. "I don't know."

            Suddenly, a clawed hand touched Sango's shoulder. She whipped around, and swung her boomerang low. 

            InuYasha jumped over the blow, his hand still on her shoulder, and laughed. "You're it!" He declared. 

            "It?" Sango demanded. "What about whatever is in the field with us?"

            InuYasha shrugged. "It's playing too." He said, and disappeared into the grass again. 

            Sango sighed, and shook her head. Nothing happened. Sango sighed again, then poked Miroku in the head. "You're it." She said, and ran off. 

            Miroku rolled his eyes and shook his head. "It's good to act like a kid once in a while." He said philosophically, and dashed off after her. 

~~

            Kagome ran as fast as her injuries would let her, which wasn't very fast, comparatively. Calls of "You're it!" rung out left and right, telling her where to run. Finally, she broke out of the grass, and onto the shore of the pond. "Can't catch me!" She called. 

            As if on queue, the blue wolf leapt out of the bush, and landed with a paw on each shoulder. Overbalanced, Kagome screamed, and toppled backwards, plunging into the cool water of the pond. She came up, sputtering and laughing at the same time, and wiped the water from her eyes. She turned, and ended up face to face with a large, wet, blue wolf. 

            _"Well, that was fun"  She said enthusiastically. _

            Kagome grinned at the wolf. She grinned back, then down at her wings. Kagome looked at the wings. The wolf looked up. Kagome looked up. The wolf flapped the wings once, sending a spray of water over Kagome. 

            Laughing, the miko covered her face, and splashed wildly back. 

            Soon, the water was flying back and forth at a frenzied pace, until InuYasha burst into the clearing. 

            "What's going on?" He said, looking at the two wet fighters. 

            Kagome laughed slightly. "I fell." She said. 

            InuYasha sighed, and waded in. "Well get out already! You don't need to be playing any harder than this!" 

            Kagome almost scoffed at how fatherly he sounded. 

            InuYasha quickly turned his gaze to the wolf. "And what's the deal with you! Why are you here?"

            The wolf suddenly looked up at the sun. _"Oh, well, look at the time!" _She said, _"Can't stay!" _ Suddenly, she dashed out of the water, and shook herself off. 

            "Hey!" InuYasha demanded. "Not so fast!" 

            The wolf rolled its eyes. _"Fine!" _She said. _"The name's Kitty, (don't ask) and I just wanted to have some fun!"_

InuYasha scoffed. "Right!" He said, dropping down and looking the wolf in the eyes. "You expect me to believe that?"

            _"Not really."  The wolf said sweetly. __"But you really don't get to know the truth yet, so that's all your gettin'"  Suddenly, like a lightning bolt, she dashed away into the grass. _"You've still got quite a trip ahead of you!" _ Her voice echoed in their heads. __"But don't forget to stop and have some fun every once in a while. Fun is very important."_

InuYasha blinked at the furrow, and sighed. "That was so very weird." He said. 

            Kagome climbed out of the pool, and nodded. 

            InuYasha sighed. "Well, unpack you're stuff." He said. 

            Kagome looked at him inquisitively. "What?"

            InuYasha smiled at her. "We'll stay here tonight."

            Kagome blinked at him, then smiled back. "Thank you." She said, then wandered off to find the rest. 

**

            Well, after all the happy review I got saying that people love tag, I guess my faith in humanity is restored. 

            Just a few notes on these last two chapters: 

            First of all, they were supposed to be one chapter, but my schedule got messed up due to finals. 

            Also, "Kitty" is a character commissioned by one of my friends… under pain of death. I tried to integrate her fairly well with my story, and she's given me a few spiffy Ideas. 

            Just so you know, the two who were talking at  the beginning are both people you know. One is fairly obvious, but if you guess the other one, then you get a cookie! 

            Anywho, after this chapter, things pick up again. I just felt that the group (And me) needed a break from all that has been happening to them. 


	24. Syldra

            Okay, after the storm of reviews I got, I recon I had better respond to some. 

To all of you who guessed at who the mysterious voices are: only Niasdreams gets a cookie. 

            Also, I have been told that I have been making Kagome way OOC. Not, I could give a big long explanation on why I have her acting the way she is… or I could just tell the truth: I can't write Kagome in character. I try and I try, but no matter how much I do it, she always comes out to little kiddie, or too mean, or to mot serious, or something like that. I'm not referring to the game of tag here; I'm referring to her dialogue. I don't really like how I portrayed her in these last few chapters. I guess it's because I've never met a girl who acts like Kagome. I'll the others I've seen people who act like them, but never one of Kagome… Oh well. All I can do is try. 

            Another correction that has been made, and this one I was already aware of, was: how can Kagome run? She injured, right?

            Okay, if you'll remember, Kaede gave Kagome a special charm that makes her bones knit, and help her to get around. Now, this has largely healed all her external injuries right now, however, it has not much effect on her internal injuries. The internal ones right now, are not in a very critical stage, and therefore aren't hurting her quite yet, and she is taking it easy, so as to avoid making her situation any worse. She can take a little exercise, but not a lot of strenuous activity, because her injuries aren't inhibiting her… yet. 

            Also, I have been told roughly a zillion times now that Sesshy's "boa" Is in fact his "Tail." I ask you, HOW? It's not even connected to his body, much less to his tail bone. I think that it's just part of his outfit, and I'm gonna write that way. 

            Thank you to CivilWarBuff for giving me an honest review, and telling me what you think and how to improve my writing. (Haven't gotten that since the last time Saro reviewed.) =^_^=

            As for everyone else, thank you very much for you're kind words. Without you, I wouldn't have the strength to go on! Anywho, on with the fic!

**

            _"Honestly, was that really necessary?" said the warm, feminine voice. _

_            "Tut!" Kitty's voice said. "I had fun! That's all that counts!"_

_            "Yes, but what did you gain from it?" The voice responded. _

_            "Nothing." Kitty's voice said. "I just wanted to play tag! Haven't played since I was a kitten."_

_            "Simple mind, simple pleasures." The voice said wearily. _

_            "Simple pleasures are always the best." Kitty said philosophically. "I find them more than worth having a simple mind for."_

_            "Fine!" The voice said. "Just be careful, and don't let them see you again. We don't want them thinking of anything."_

_            "Of coarse!" Kitty said, her voice suddenly taking on a little girl type of tone. "I wouldn't dream of ever blowing this gig."_

_            "You had better not." The voice warned. "We all have a lot riding on this."_

_            "you mean _you_ have a lot riding on this" Kitty said._

_            "And do you're tied to what I have riding. If it crashes and burns, so do you!"_

~~

            Lethargically, Kagome leaned up against InuYasha's back, burying her head in his silvery hair. "Are we there yet? She asked plaintively. 

            InuYasha looked back over his shoulder. "Pretty close." He said, and continued on, jogging lightly. Beside, him, sweating considerably more, Miroku and Sango ran, panting heavily. Shippo was really the only comfortable one, sitting happily atop Kagome's head. 

            Lazily, Kagome looked out and around as the scenery went flying by. InuYasha had woken everybody else up early, and they were well on their way before the young miko had even been conscious. Even now, she was still shaking off the lazy aspects of sleep. The trees, she noticed, were beginning to thin, and the ground was getting continually lighter. _Where are we going? _Kagome wondered idly. A dull roaring sound slowly dragged Kagome the rest of the way into awareness. Kagome thought for a moment, trying to figure out what it was. 

            She recognized the sound… it was something she had heard before, when she was really little. It was hovering right at the tip of her tongue, but wouldn't let itself be caught. Then, they cleared the forest, and the sound got louder. "The ocean!" She said suddenly, and looked over InuYasha's shoulder. 

            InuYasha looked back and grinned at her. "Yep!" With that, he gently set her down. "Now, I just have to go and set up a signal."

            Kagome blinked. "What?" 

            InuYasha chuckled. "Don't worry about it." With that, he walked over to the shore, and waded into the water. 

            Miroku came to stand over by Kagome. "What do you think he's doing?" the miko asked. 

            Miroku shrugged. "I don't know. He obviously knows something here that we don't." 

            Kagome shrugged, and turned to InuYasha. 

            Slowly, almost ceremoniously, the hanyou drew out Tetsusaiga, and placed it blade down in the water in front of him, holding his hands on the top of the hilt. 

            Kagome was suddenly struck by the pose. InuYasha, for a second, didn't look like InuYasha. He stood tall, not the normal half crouch he kept himself in. His shoulders were squared, and his eyes flashed with determination. Far s single moment, InuYasha looked very regal. 

            "What's he doing?" Sango asked. 

            "I don't know." Miroku responded. 

            "He looks familiar to me…" Sango mused. "It's like I've seen him like that, somewhere before…" Sango said, thinking hard. 

            InuYasha closed, his eyes, and bowed his head, then suddenly looked up, glaring fiercely into the water, almost like he was trying to pierce it with his gaze. 

            At the same time, Shippo suddenly froze up and almost toppled of Kagome's head. 

            "Shippo?" Kagome asked. "What's wrong?"

            "He's _calling_" Shippo said, clutching his head. 

            Sango looked at him sharply. "He wouldn't!"

            Miroku nodded. "I can feel it."

            Kagome looked at her friends. "What are you talking about."  
            Miroku turned to her. "It's a power that some very powerful youkai have. It broadcasts a signal that can be heard by all youkai in a very wide range, and they come to it, unwaveringly." He said. "But if he's doing that, then we'll more than likely be in for a fight."

            Kagome gasped. "That's bad!" She said.

            Sango narrowed her eyes, and then pointed at the water. "Look!" 

            The water in front of InuYasha was bubbling. Not just a little bubble either. The water was roiling around, and a very big shadow was coming to the surface. 

            Miroku winced. "It's even worse…" He said. "There's only one youkai in the area."

            Kagome looked at him. "That's good… isn't it?"

            Miroku shook his head. "It means that most likely it killed all the others."

            Kagome's eyebrow twitched in anxiety, and she looked back at the boiling water. 

            As suddenly as the bubbling had begun, something burst from the surface. Kagome's head trained upward as the a long, thick neck shot skywards, then dove back into the water with tremendous power, The water all along the beach was boiling now, and slowly, like some unearthly leviathan, a head rose from the water. 

            It was scaly and draconic, streamlined for the water. As the head rose, its mouth parted revealing double rows of needle sharp teeth. Its eyes were slits of crystal blue, and its scales seemed to change colors from green to blue and back again in the blink of an eye. 

            Slowly, it lowered its head down, and looked directly at InuYasha. InuYasha stared back, not blinking. 

            Kagome was transfixed as the hanyou and the youkai stared at each other, not blinking. 

            Finally, as if something had passed between them, the youkai lowered its head, then raised it again. "Well met, son of InuTaisho." It said, softly. 

            Sango gasped. "InuTaisho?" she asked. "_The _InuTaisho?"

            Miroku looked at her. "What's wrong?" 

            Sango did a double take, then looked at InuYasha. "That's why I recognized that pose." She murmured to herself. "I knew InuYasha was the son of a great youkai, but I had no idea that it was InuTaisho…"

            Kagome looked up at Sango. "I don't get it." She said. "Who's InuTaisho?"

            Sango shook her head. "I don't know much, but it's rumored that he was one of the most powerful youkai ever to have lived." She ran her fingers through her hair in concentration. "However, it makes sense." She said. "It was rumored that his only flaw was that he loved a human woman. And with InuYasha being a hanyou, it would make sense."

            Kagome looked from Sango to Miroku, and then to Shippo, who was slowly recovering his wits from the calling, then up at InuYasha. 

            The hanyou had his arms crossed, and was looking at the beast imperiously. "I see you've grown a little, Syldra." He said to the serpent. 

            The serpent looked up. "Yes." She hissed. "It has been many years since I have seen you last, InuYasha."

            InuYasha grinned at Syldra, as she was called. "Can you take us to Shinjuku?" He asked. 

            Syldra looked at him, then at his companions. "I can… but I would advise against it. You know what humans are there." 

            InuYasha nodded. "Tell me, do you know anyone by the name of Vadise?"

            The serpent's eyes suddenly widened. "How do you know that name."

            "Sesshoumaru pointed it out to me." The hanyou responded. 

            Syldra's eyes narrowed. "She is a very powerful wyrm." 

            InuYasha's eyebrows cocked upward in surprise. "She?" 

            "Yes…" Syldra said. "She was the ancient wyrm before Atma."

            InuYasha backed up a step. "But that means that she's…"        

            Syldra laughed. "Under normal circumstances, yes. However, she left before Atma could even begin to challenge her. No-one knows where she is now… it's said that she lives in a forest that moves every day." 

            InuYasha groaned. "Great…" He said. "Oh, well. Can we get a ride?" He said. 

            Suddenly, there was a sound of annoyance from behind him. "SIT!" Came Kagome's voice, and InuYasha crashed into the surf. The angry miko stalked into the surf, and kicked the prone InuYasha. "Why didn't you tell us about this?" She demanded. 

            InuYasha rose from the frothy waves dripping wet. "The hell are you talkin' about?" He demanded. 

            "Why didn't you tell me that you knew a giant sea serpent? And what is this 'Shinjuku' place, and what's this about a moving forest?" 

            InuYasha groaned. "Shaddap!" He yelled. "I have my reasons!" He yelled.

            Kagome was not about to back down. "Such as?"

            "Shinjuku is a city of youkai." Syldra hissed. Kagome suddenly looked at her, and jumped behind InuYasha. "InuYasha probably didn't tell you because he's under oath, and he gets killed if he goes there or tells anyone about it."

            Kagome blinked for a second, then looked up at the hanyou. "Oh…" She said, quieting down a bit. 

            InuYasha sighed. So, will you take us?" He asked. 

            Syldra sighed. "Why not." She said. "Nothing to lose but everything."

            InuYasha grinned wolfishly. "Good." 

**

            Okay, at his point, lots of you have questions. Don't worry, feel free to ask them. A lot of stuff will be explained in the next chapter. Anywho, hope you enjoyed it. 

Also, I tried to make Kagome better, but she still needs a little work. Please tell me how I'm doing.

            Oh, and by the way, I just got a review that said "Keep goin' girl!" 

            Now, while I appreciate the encouragement, I would like to be known by the proper gender, please. Just for the record, I'm a guy, and would like to be known as one. Thank you.


	25. Dying

_            "So, he talked Syldra into getting them a ride… impressive." Said the feminine voice._

_"Well, you have to remember she and InuTaisho were very good allies. She definitely owes it to him." Kitty's voice sounded._

_"She could get killed though…" said a masculine voice._

_"Heh, I doubt it. I'll talk to Leviathan, and we'll pull some strings." Said Kitty. _

_"How do you suppose that InuYasha is gonna get them all through Shinjuku?" the masculine voice asked. _

_There was a chuckle from Kitty. "Don't worry. He'll only have to get Kagome through." _

_"And why is that?" Asked the masculine voice._

_"Cause you're gonna distract the others, of coarse!"_

_"What, me?" the masculine voice asked, taken aback. "How?" _

_"Tut." Said the femenin voice. "You think that just because you can't remember how you know Sango, doesn't mean she won't remember you! She'll be more than apt to follow you… and Miroku should follow her more than willingly."_

_Kitty giggled again. "I have to say, Sango should be happy that Miroku like her. That guy is pretty nice… and his personality isn't that bad either." _

_"Sango _is _happy Miroku likes her, or haven't you been paying attention?" the feminine voice said dryly. _

_"Umm…" The masculine voice said. "They just left. How are we gonna follow them?" _

_"Don't worry…" Said the feminine voice. "I'll take care of it."_

~~

            Kagome knelt rigidly on the ever fluctuating scales of the sea serpent, thinking silently. Why had she acted like such a jerk to InuYasha back on the beach? It wasn't like that he was expected to tell her every aspect of his life. He certainly hadn't earned a 'sit' buy it… but where did he get off suddenly acting all noble-like. 

            A sudden change had definitely come over InuYasha. He wasn't acting like the normal arrogant hanyou that he normally was… at least not as often. He still had his moments, but he had been very silent the entire trip on the great serpent so far. He was acting like he did whenever he saw Kikyo… maybe that was why Kagome had been so angry earlier… because of the way he was acting. It had been slight before, ever since they had run into that "Kitty" thing at the clearing… but now it was very evident. 

            A sharp pain in her knee jarred her out of her thoughts as on of the blue-green scales of the serpent sliced her. Still, it was better than sitting… she looked along the length of the serpent, up to the head. InuYasha stood there, his arms crossed, and his hair waving behind him in the swift, sea-blown wind.  Spray from the beast's fast pace flew up, and spattered up on his face. 

            _He looks so different like that… She thought, admiring how the setting sun reflected off his hair, casting him in an orange glow. _You wouldn't guess what he's really like just from looking at him. _ _

            Kagome thought back to when she had first seen InuYasha… pinned to a tree by Kikyo's arrow. He had looked peaceful then, as well… but then, he always looked peaceful when asleep. But when he was awake, he was rude, obnoxious, and arrogant. How could someone look so peaceful, yet be so different?      

            Suddenly, InuYasha turned around, and walked over to the rest of the companions, and sat down. "Okay, I've got some explaining to do…" He said, fixing a gaze at Kagome. The miko couldn't meet it. "So here it goes." 

            The rest nodded at him with rapt attention.

            "One of the most closely guarded secrets of all the noble youkai is the city of demons… Shinjuku." He said. 

            Sango pursed her lips. "But I'm a youkai exterminator. I surely would have heard of it."

            InuYasha starred at her a moment, then laughed. "I said one of the most guarded secrets of the _noble _youkai. The only one of them you've probably seen in you're entire life is Sesshoumaru. The only reason I know about it is because of my father, InuTaisho." 

            Sango looked at him oddly. "But InuTaisho is renowned far and why for loving humans, and is hated by most youkai."

            InuYasha smiled at her. "That's because none of the youkai on the mainland know the truth." He said, almost bitterly. "Yeah, my dad loved humans. He loved my mother with all his heart… but that really didn't matter to those in Shinjuku. ´They never knew."

            Kagome looked at him quizzically. "But how. If you're father lived there, then they would surely know when you were born." 

            InuYasha shook his head at her. "In Shinjuku, hanyous are common." He said. "Humans are simply slaves there."

            Kagome blinked at him, then grew very quiet. "Oh." She said meekly. InuYasha nodded at her. 

            "So, most of the youkai in Shinjuku just dismissed mother as InuTaisho's little toy, and me as a bastard accident." He said, his voice barely managing to contain the bitterness. 

            "However, at one point  a demon from China invaded Japan… his name was Hyoga. My father, along with me, Sesshoumau, his ally Totosai, and many more, went to mainland Japan to fend him off. 

            "And…" Kagome said, thinking. "InuTaisho died in the battle."

            InuYasha shook his head. "No, my father died just afterward, after being heavily injured. My mother rushed out to help him. However, the youkai form mainland Japan saw my father as a human lover, and rushed to attack. My father and Sesshoumaru held them off, while Mother and me ran. It was then that my father died, by the hands of his own allies."

            There was silence. Slowly, and haltingly, InuYasha continued. "Most hanyous are banished from Shinjuku once their old enough to defend for themselves, and dad was the only reason I was allowed to stay. Without him, I couldn't go back. I had to live here."

            "But!" He interrupted anyone who might have been about to say anything, "That's not why were going there. The important thing is that the island that Shinjuku is on is also home to most of the dragons. If  Vadise is a dragon, then we can probably find her there. The important thing is to remember that Humans are all slaves to the youkai in Shinjuku, so I'll go as a youkai, and you can go as my slaves."

            Kagome looked up at him sharply. "You can't go in you're youkai form!" She said. "You know what happens." 

            InuYasha sighed. "Y'know, I can act like a pretty decent youkai when I have to." He said. "I won't actually transform, and we hopefully won't be in the city long enough for anyone to notice."

            Kagome thought for a moment, then looked up. "We have to go as your slaves?" She asked, incredulously. "Why?" 

            InuYasha smiled sweetly at her. "For two reasons. For one, I don't feel like getting killed today. Second, you need to see Vadise, not get caught, and sold on the slave market, which is what happens to un-owned humans they find… and you don't even want to know what they do to girls." 

            Kagome quieted up very quickly. InuYasha nodded, and returned up by the serpents head, engaging in quiet conversation with her. 

            Kagome's thoughts began whirling again. That must have been why he was getting so quiet. He was remembering his life before his dad died! That must have been horrible for him, to run away as you're dad died. Granted, she had never known her father, so she didn't know what having a father was like. 

            Then another thought hit her. He had said that Sesshoumaru had defended them as well. Why would he do something like that? The Sesshoumau she knew would do anything to help InuYasha… but he had told him about Vadise. Who could understand why Sesshoumau did anything?

Once again, her thoughts were drawn away as another jar of pain caused her to wince. But this one didn't come from a scale… this one came from her side. It was a familiar pain… one she had experienced acutely only a few days ago. "Not again…" She gasped as he hands went to her side, and she dropped to a half lying down position. The pain was growing rapidly, invading her conscious. It felt just the same when she had passed out at school. Why did this have to happen now? 

Tears began to flow from her eyes, and dimly, she could head Shippo asking if she was alright. Suddenly, she felt like she was falling. Why? The doctor had said she had two weeks. Why now? Suddenly it dawned on her. 

_"Kagome has two weeks to live… at most."_

"At most…"

Kagome gasped in terror, and suddenly felt a splash of c0old water all around her. It was too late. 

She was dying.


	26. Sea Battle

            _"Oh, Shit!" The feminine voice said. _

_            "What's happening?" The masculine voice asked, quivering. _

_            "Her condition must be worsening!" The feminine voice said. "This is all you're fault!" It accused. _

_            "What?" Kitty's voice asked, taken aback. "How is this my fault?" _

_            "You're the one that played tag with them!" The feminine voice accused. "You shouldn't have played so rough!"_

_            "I didn't" Kitty said plaintively. "I was a good little Kitty!" _

_            "Well, listen!" The feminine voice said sharply. "We have to take care of this! I'll go ahead and tell Vadise! You, go and warn Aaron!" _

_            "Right! We'll make sure that they get through Shinjuku!" Kitty's voice sounded. _

_            "And, you," The feminine voice said. "You have to make sure to get Sango and Miroku away from the others. See if you can get Shippo away as well. Lead them around Shinjuku." _

_            "Uh…" The masculine voice stuttered. "R-right!" _

_            "Time is of the essence. We have to pull this off properly. Let's go, now!_"

**

            "So, you are very affectionate towards you're mate…" Syldra said. 

            InuYasha glared down at her. "Listen!" He yelled over the roaring ocean. "She ain't my mate!"

            "…Yet." Syldra said with amusement. 

            InuYasha scowled at her, and pulled out Tetsusaiga. "Listen, you big scaly-"

            There was a sudden shout, and InuYasha turned to see what the commotion was. 

His heart froze in his chest as Kagome, limp as a rag-doll, falling into the white surf. It seemed like slow motion. The expression on Kagome's face etched itself unbidden into InuYasha's eyes. Her eyes were half closed, with tears running down her face. Her mouth was tightened in an expression of pain, and her hand was reaching up, towards her friends, begging for anyone to save her… then she disappeared into the roaring white surf. 

Syldra must have sensed it too, for she almost immediately began to curve around towards the floating miko.

But she wasn't near as fast as the hanyou. In the blink of an eye, he was in the water, heading for Kagome like a red torpedo. He reached her in record time, grabbing her limp frame, and holding her above the water. "Syldra!" He roared above the churning waves, "A pick up!" 

Obligingly, Syldra's large head came up from underneath them, raising them from out of the water. "Are you okay?" She rumbled. 

InuYasha paid the serpent no attention. HE laid Kagome carefully down on the beast's forehead, and shook her. "C'mon!" HE pleaded. "Wake up!" He shook her again. "You've still got time! You can't go yet." 

Tears were forming in the hanyou's eyes. "You can't leave me yet!" He cried. 

"InuYasha!" Syldra yelled over the sea, which was becoming increasingly choppier. "Save the sentimentality for later! There's something coming!"

InuYasha looked up, and grabbed Kagome in his arms again. "Where is it?" HE called. Syldra doubled back over herself. "It's a Kraken!" She yelled. "Watch out!"

InuYasha nodded, and carefully looked at the water. His sharp eyes quickly warned him as a shadow suddenly appeared on the surface. The hanyou jumped away just as a long, sinuous tentacle shot out of the water, and attached itself to where the girl had been laying before. 

"Try to stay up!" Syldra called one last time, then her head disappeared under the water. 

"InuYasha!" Called Miroku's voice over the brewing storm. "We're in trouble!" 

"No shit!" InuYasha roared back. He looked back, and saw that Syldra was diving, taking a decent amount of their standing room with her. "That way!" He called, pointing down the long sinuous body. "we gotta run!" 

The entire group saw what he meant immediately, and turned. As a group, they ran down the long serpent's body, avoiding the constant Tentacles that slashed out of the water, and lashed out at them. 

Soon, however, the wicked tail-spike of the beast came into view. InuYasha looked left and right, and saw Syldra's head surface again, long lashes ran across the beautiful scales. "There!" He called, pointing, and took a running leap towards the newly exposed platform. Miroku  nodded, ran, and leapt up, using his staff as a vault to make the long jump. Sango grabbed Shippo, and took a great running leap. 

There was a lighting fast crack, and suddenly, in midair, a Tentacle attached itself to Sango's leg, and she cried in dismay as the thing started to pull her down. In one last act of desperation, she hurled Shippo towards the platform. InuYasha, running along the moving hump to keep above water, reached up and easily snatched the Kitsune out of the air. 

"Sango!" Miroku called, reaching out a hand to the floundering youkai slayer. 

Suddenly, a shadow appeared beneath both Sango and the tentacle. Syldra broke the surface again, tooth-filled jaws agape. There was a snap, like a bear trap, as the great serpent's mouth closed. The tentacle, and Sango with it, were gone. 

"SANGO!" Miroku called again, as Syldra's head once again dropped below the surface. His footfalls became uneven, and he stumbled. Swearing an oath, InuYasha reached down, grabbed him, and, laden with all three of his companions, made a mighty leap to the new place to stand, then leapt again, right where a shadow on the water was forming. He landed perfectly, just a Syldra's head broke the water. Quickly, before the beast went down again, InuYasha dashed like lightning to the base of her crest of horns, and crouched down under the biggest one, just as Syldra dipped back down, and disappeared from view entirely.

~~

            Miroku groaned and shook head. What had happened? He sat up wearily, and put a hand to his head. What had happened. "You finally up?" InuYasha's voice sounded. 

            He opened up his eyes, and looked up, seeing InuYasha looking down at him with crossed arms. "Hope you had a nice sleep." He said. 

            Something was nagging at Miroku's mind… something important. He put a hand to his head. Suddenly, his eyes opened. "SANGO!" He yelled, stumbling to his feet. His eyes scanned the his surroundings. They were next to a beach. There was a fire crackling merrily on the sand, with logs set up around it, and there, lying lazily in the shallow water, was the giant serpent, Syldra. 

            Furiously, the monk strode up the giant serpent, holding up his right hand. "you're dead!" He said simply, undoing the prayer beads.

            The beast cocked an eyelid at him. "Pardon?"

            The beads came off, and he held up his right hand, still clenched closed. "You _ate Sango!" The monk yelled. _

            The serpent fixed him with an odd glance, and InuYasha looked up from the fire. "Um… Miroku?" he asked. 

            "Stay out of this InuYasha." Miroku warned. 

            Shippo walked up, and pulled on his pant leg. "but, Miroku…"

            A kick sent the Kitsune flying. 

            "Houshi-sama…" Sango said, poking him lightly on the shoulder. 

            Miroku growled in annoyance. "I told you not to…" His voice suddenly dropped off. Slowly, the monk looked over his shoulder. 

            Sure enough, albeit slightly slimy, and smelling of fish, was a very, very, not-devoured Sango. 

            Miroku stared at her a moment, then turned a back to Syldra, then to Sango again, then back to Syldra. "How?" He asked, thoroughly confused. 

            "Do you really want the anatomy lesson?" Syldra hissed. 

            "She didn't swallow." Sango said simply. 

            Miroku thought about this for a moment, then nodded. "I see." He said sagely. 

            InuYasha sighed. "Miroku, get over here!" He called. 

            Sango looked at him, crossed her arms, and smiled sweetly. 

            Miroku looked at the ground, stuttered an apology to the great serpent, and walked over to Where InuYasha was sitting. The hanyou gestured to the unconscious Kagome. "It looks like she's not in pain, anymore, but she still isn't awake. What do you think?" 

            Miroku nodded, and knelt down. 

            Sango watched as the monk inspected Kagome, then looked over at the ocean longingly, then down at her slime covered arms. 

            There was a slight chuckle, and Syldra looked down at her. "Go ahead, girl. I'll make sure he doesn't peak." 

            Sango looked up at the serpent, and nodded. "Thank you." She said. The serpent gave her a grin. Sango's eyes widened at the large teeth… granted, she had already seen those closer than she had hoped to.

            Miroku nodded. "Her condition is getting worse, but we still have a while yet. She won't be as able to move around, though. She'll be able to walk, but not run, and any fighting is right out." 

            InuYasha nodded, deep in thought. "Okay… I know what we have to do." He said. "We're gonna have to split up." He said. 

            Miroku blinked at him. "What?"

            InuYasha closed his eyes. "I'm the only one who knows how things are done in Shinjuku, and I don't want to spend any more time in there than possible. If I go with everyone, you'll just slow me down. If I just take Kagome, then I'll be able to get through in less than a day."

            Miroku nodded. "I see."

            InuYasha sniffed. "you take the others, and find a way around Shinjuku, into dragon territory. Then, look for Vadise. If you find her, then tell her about us. If she's as powerful as they say, she won't have any trouble finding us."

            Miroku nodded. "Where are you going?" He asked as InuYasha got up, and began to walk away. 

            InuYasha turned around. "I'm going to go get ready. Passing for a youkai will take some preparation."

            Miroku nodded. "I'll tell Sango." He said. 

            InuYasha nodded, and disappeared into the night. 

**

BWAHAHA! I'm evil! Hehehehe! Please R&R! I'M ON SUMMER BREAK! 

No more pencils, no more books! No more teacher's dirty looks! When the principal rings the bell, drop you're books and RUN LIKE cough, cough Ahem. 


	27. Kohaku

Sango sighed luxuriously as the wars sea-water washed over her, washing away all the slime and other nasty stuff that had caked on her. It felt good to be able to bathe again. She sighed in contentment, and leaned back into the warm sand, letting the waves break over her. 

            What a day… first they are traveling over sea on a giant sea serpent, then they get attacked by some other random sea monster, and then she almost got eaten… all three of which she had never thought would happen to her. 

            But, still… the way Miroku had looked when he thought she was dead… she didn't mind a guy thinking that way about her… even if he was a pervert. Miroku was a good man, and she knew it. It was only his little hand problem that came up every once in a while that was a problem. Oh well! There was no such thing as a perfect man… so women just had to make up for it by being extra perfect.

            "Hey, Syldra?" She asked, glancing over at the loop of the serpent that blocked her view of the fire… and hopefully, Miroku's view of her. 

            "Yes?" The serpent hissed back. 

            "Have you ever fallen in love?" She asked, curious. 

            "I have a dozen hatchlings…" Syldra started to list. "They are all wonderful… except for Scylla and Charibdas… they always were the black sheep…"

            Sango thought for a moment. "What's it like to be in love?" She asked. 

            "I think you know that already." Syldra said with a light chuckle. 

            "Well, with women, it's all different, so you just have to find out for yourself…" Syldra said sagely. "Trust me. You'll know when the time comes."

            Sango nodded. "What about guys… how can you tell when they love you…"

            "Well." She said, "For humans, there are three basic types of guys. The most common is easy to explain. When they see the girl the love, their heart starts to beat faster, causing it dislodge and drop into the stomach. This causes some of the digestive gunk to splash up into the brain cavity, thereby shorting out the verbal nerves in the brain."

            Sango looked at her, totally lost. "Meaning?" She asked.

The serpent flashed a toothy grin. "The guy babbles constantly until you either leave, or he passes out." 

            Sango had to stifle a giggle. "And the other two types?" She asked. 

            Syldra laughed. "The second, just skips the babbling phase, and passes strait out." Another giggle had to be stifled. "And the last simply gropes incessantly." 

            Sango's eyes widened and she put a hand to her mouth. "Oh." 

            Syldra put her face right down close to Sango. "And from the looks of things, he's just about as nice as the gropers come…" 

            Sango blushed suddenly, and suddenly became very preoccupied with scrubbing herself.  

            The serpent simply laughed, and went back to casually looking aver at the fire. 

            _Do I love him? Sango asked herself silently. _

~~

            InuYasha stalked back towards the clearing, a large pack on his shoulders. Why did they have to make these clothes so heavy? 

            Growling slightly, he stalked into the campsite. Everyone was asleep already. Miroku was lying next to the fire, and surprisingly, Sango lay within five feet of him, her hair still beaded with sea water from her bath. 

            InuYasha grinned slightly. It was funny to watch the romance between that pair. Then his eyes traced over to Shippo, lying peacefully at Kagome's side. "Sorry, little guy." He said, carefully moving him over to Sango. "I know you like her, but this is a two person trip."

            With that, very carefully, he lifted Kagome in his arms, and began to walk. 

            "Hmmm." Kagome murmured, snuggling deeper into his arms in sleep. The hanyou smiled down at the young girl. She seemed like a little angel, when she slept. But InuYasha knew better. His body still ached from when she had "Sat" him earlier this morning. She could be so sensitive and unreasonable sometimes, and he could swear that she was more hard headed than him when she wanted to be! Oh, well. He would just have to live with it… 

            That was another thing… she had become so much a part of his life that he wasn't sure what they would do after she finished. Surely, she would want to go home, and finish with all that school stuff that she always complained about, and Miroku and Sango would probably run off somewhere. Where did that leave him? 

            He could go and look for Kikyo… but that left a bad taste in his mouth… but why? He loved Kikyo… didn't he?

            InuYasha shook his head. Best not to think about stuff like that! 

            With that, he plunged deeper into the forest, jogging slightly. 

~~

            "Where's Kagome!?" Shippo's voice screamed, jarring Miroku out of a very pleasant dream starring a certain demon hunter. Had Miroku decided to open his eyes before sitting up, he would have seen Sango, waking up right next to him, a sight he had longed after for years. 

            "What's going on." He asked. 

            "Kagome's gone!" Shippo said, half crying. "And InuYasha is too!"

            Miroku sighed. "Good." He said, much to the kitsune's dismay. "I would be worried if InuYasha hadn't gotten her yet." 

            "What do you mean?" Shippo demanded. "What's going on?"

            "InuYasha is taking Kagome through Shinjuku by himself." Miroku explained. "We would just get in his way."

            Shippo stared at him. "What?" He demanded. 

            "We will go a different way, and look for Vadise in a different section of the island." He explained calmly. "This way, there is much less risk to Kagome, and we have a much better chance of finding Vadise."

            Shippo, however, wasn't listening. "How could she leave without me?" He demanded of no-one in particular. "She needs me! What will she do without me? She can't survive without me!"

            Sango, no totally awake, and having heard the plan, grabbed the little kitsune by the scruff of his neck. "She'll survive a lot better with you looking separately." The youkai slayer said patiently. "We have a much better chance of finding Vadise if we split up." 

            Shippo, as if possessed by something, suddenly reached up, and bit her thumb. "No!" He called as he hit the ground, and started running. "I'm going to Kagome!" 

            "Shippo, no!" Miroku called. 

            Suddenly, there was a flash, and a glint of metal, and Shippo disappeared, in the grasp of a long metal chain. 

            Sango's eyes suddenly widened. _She knew that weapon!  The long metal chain retracted back into the forest, and slowly, ominously, the wielder stepped out. _

            He was a young boy, dressed in a black and brown cat-suit like Sango's. On his side, a small Katana was sheathed into his sash, and long chain with a sickle on the end hung around one arm. His expression almost sorrowful, and above his head, he held an unconscious Shippo. 

            Sango's eyes widened, and a light stream of tears began to work their way down her face. "Kohaku…" She murmured. 


	28. InuYasha, the youkai

            Kagome awoke with a splitting headache. It didn't help that she was being mercilessly jostled back and forth. She moaned, and opened her eyes, only to be looking at a mat of silver. She blinked once or twice, then turned her head. Now she was looking at a large pair of golden eyes. "InuYasha!" She said, surprised. 

            Quickly, she looked down around her, ignoring the pain in her head, to see where she was. InuYasha was walking through a dense forest, carrying her gently, with a dense pack on his back  "Where are we?" She asked. 

            InuYasha blinked uncomprehendingly at her, then his eyes suddenly widened, and he shook his head, coming out of whatever thought's he was in. "You're awake." He stated. 

            Kagome smiled sarcastically, and nodded at him. "What happened?" She asked, putting a hand to her head. 

            InuYasha drew a breath. "Well, you passed out while we were heading for the island. We got here safely, though." He said, wisely omitting the part about the Kraken. "Once we got here, we decided to split up. You and I are going to head strait into the Dragon country, through Shinjuku, and the others are gonna go around, and look in the other regions of the island." 

            "How big is the island?" Kagome asked, trying to mask the worry in her voice. 

            "Big enough." InuYasha said grimly. "We need to hurry." 

            Kagome looked down, trying not to let what they both knew show: they were probably not going to find Vadise in time… if she could even cure Kagome. 

            "Listen, I need to tell you what you need to do in Shinjuku." InuYasha said. "You're posing as my newly acquired slave. You're mother was a slave, and she kept you hidden until you were old enough to run away, then she let you go. However, I caught you, and have claimed you as my own." 

            Kagome nodded, trying to absorb all this through her aching head. "Right." 

            InuYasha pressed onward. "This should cover you're ineptitude. You won't have to tell anyone you're story, but it's good for you to know it. Also, walk with a bad limp, once we get into the city. That'll give me an excuse to carry things myself, as opposed to give them to you."

            Kagome nodded, absorbing all this in stride. "Yes." 

            "Now, listen carefully." InuYasha said. Kagome was struck by how much one of her school teachers he sounded, as he carefully explained how she was to act, when she was supposed to act rebellious (She was a new slave, after all), and when she was supposed to bow, or grovel. Kagome was starting to love this less and less, but realized that she had to do it.             

            Then, quite suddenly, InuYasha dropped her roughly, and kicked her in the side, lightly. "Wha?" She said, confused, momentarily forgetting the pain in her head from the pain in her backside. "What's the matter."  
            "You mean you didn't struggle when I caught you?" InuYasha asked smoothly. 

            Suddenly Kagome caught on, and immediately began struggling, trying to get as dirty as possible, under InuYasha's careful supervision. "A little more on you're cheek." He instructed. 

            Kagome nodded, and rubbed some dirt on her cheek. Once InuYasha was satisfied, she stood up. "Is that good?" She asked, displaying her now filthy clothes. 

            InuYasha nodded. "Almost." He said, the promptly lashed out several times with his claws. Kagome squeaked as he clothes suddenly acquired several new rips, making her skirt dangerously short, and revealing a bit more that was comfortable. "InuYasha!" She yelled. "SIT!" 

            InuYasha slumped to the ground. "What was that for?" He demanded, around a mouthful of dirt. 

            "What do you think you're doing?" Kagome yelled. "Honestly!"

            InuYasha growled as he got to his feet. "I'm making things realistic! Nobody's gonna believe you're a slave if you're clothes are intact!"

            Kagome scowled at him. "Well, couldn't you at least have made it around the edges?" She asked plaintively. 

            InuYasha gave her a long, steady look, and she quieted up. "I'm going to go get ready myself, you stay here, and if you hear anything, then start crying instantly. If they come over, then act really scared, and back away." 

            Kagome looked confused. "Why." 

            "It'll be obvious you're a slave." InuYasha said. Suddenly, he slapped his forehead, and cursed. "Almost forgot!" He said, and walked over to his pack, then, pulled something out. It looked like a fancy band of gold, with a long chain attached to it. "C'mere." He said, gesturing. 

            Meekly, Kagome stood and walked over. Carefully, InuYasha put the bar on the back of her neck, and on one swift solid motion, twisted it around. 

            Kagome let the weight of the gold think settle on her shoulders, and it suddenly donned on her. _It was a collar! _Kagome's eyes flashed angrily. "Now listen here!" She yelled. "I'll pose as a slave, but I will not will a collar!" 

            InuYasha expertly put a finger to her lips, silencing her. "Yes, you will." HE said firmly, and with that, he turned, grabbed the bag, and left. 

            Kagome starred at him, cocked her head, and blinked it him. 

~~

            "Let me go!" Shippo yelled, wincing as his capture dashed swiftly through the woods. "Letgoletgoletgoletgoletgo!"

            Kohaku snorted and increased his pace. 

            Sango and Miroku were hot on his trail. How did they move so fast. No wonder Sango had been the best Youkai slayer in their village. Kohaku blinked. Where had that come from? Was he from the same village as Sango? Was he a youkai hunter as well?

            Kohaku snorted, and dashed ahead, gaining distance steadily. 

            "SANGO!" The little kitsune called. "MIROKU! HELP!" 

            Tired of the constant yelling, Kohaku swung the kitsune up, and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "It's hard to run while listening to your yelling." He said. 

            Shippo stared at him for a moment. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened. "Kohaku!" He said, pointing. 

            Kohaku suddenly stopped. "You know who I am?" He asked. 

            Shippo nodded. "You're Naraku's minion!" He accused. "What does that demon want here?" 

            A confused look crossed Kohaku's face "What are you talking about?" He asked. "Who's Naraku?"

            Now that confused Shippo. Kohaku had tried to kill them a few times, but he had never lied. "Then who are you working for?" He demanded.    

            Kohaku blinked at him. "At dragon named Atma." He said, as if it was obvious. 

            The sound of Shippo's jaw dropping echoed through the forest. 

~~

            Kagome looked up at the crescent moon nervously. InuYasha had been gone for most of the day. What if something had happened to him!

            She had been mentally preparing herself for the coming day since that morning, but still suffered with the indignity of it. Imagine, having to walk through a city dressed in shredded clothing. She starred at herself nervously. Her shirt was ripped considerably, having been shortened up so that it showed her belly-button. Luckily, her bust wasn't very badly mangled, so she still had some dignity. Her skirt had simply been shortened considerably. She would definitely have to be careful not to take big steps. 

            Suddenly, there was a twig snap in the distance. Having prepared for this too, she immediately dropped to her stomach, and started "Crying" softly. 

            Soon, there was another snap, right behind her. She turned around, hoping for InuYasha. The youkai that stood before her was most certainly _not InuYasha. _

            He had long, silver hair, and amber eyes, but at that, the resemblance stopped. His hair was done up in an elaborate, amazing style. Two large locks of hair came from his bangs, and framed a firm, handsome face. An elaborate in his hair was interwoven an intricate pattern of feathers. His face was expressionless, and smooth. His clothes were baggy, decorated almost like Sesshoumaru's, but with subtle differences. No boa was present, but the metal shoulder guard ran all the way over both shoulders, with silken streamers trailing down his back. Strapped at his side was a beaten old scabbard with the frayed hilt of a Katana sticking out of it. 

            A slight smile touched his face. "Well, well, what have we here?" The youkai asked in a silken, sonorous tenor. 

            Kagome, according to instruction, cowered away, praying that InuYasha would return soon. She sort of doubted this youkai would be deterred by the collar. 

            The youkai took a step towards her. "You look scared." He remarked. 

            What to do? InuYasha had told her to just cower, and everything would be okay! What was she gonna do?

Slowly, the youkai reached down to the hilt at his side, and drew out a long, beat up, old sword. Kagome blinked. That sword looked familiar! The youkai very suddenly, planted the sword in the ground. It flared up in yellow light, and soon stood a thick, long blade of pure, beautiful steel. Kagome blinked again. _Tetsusaiga?  _

"I guess the disguise is pretty good." Said a loud, arrogant, familiar voice. 

Kagome looked up, aghast. "InuYasha?" She asked. 

The youkai looked down at her, and flashed InuYasha's trademark grin. "Looks like I do pass for a reasonable youkai…" InuYasha said. 


	29. New Moon

            Shippo blinked at the young youkai slayer. "You work for Atma?" He asked, aghast. 

            Kohaku nodded. "Yes." He said. "She is my master."

            Shippo blinked. "Oh, shit!" He said simply. 

            "You seem displeased." Kohaku said. "I don't see why." 

            Shippo shook his head. "Atma tried to kill Kagome!" He yelled. 

            Kohaku nodded. "Yes." He said. "She had to get Kagome to be able to see-"

            "That's enough Kohaku." Said a new, feminine voice. "You shouldn't tell the kitsune everything." 

            Kohaku turned, and looked up into one of the large surrounding trees. "I apologize. I did not know." He said simply, in a soft, calm, respectful voice. 

            What was going on? Shippo shook his head. Why didn't Kohaku remember them? Even when Naraku had wiped the demon hunter of his memories, he had still retained a little of his past life. Was Atma really so powerful as to wipe a mind clean totally? 

            Something was wrong here. 

            All of Shippo's suspicions of the wrongness were very quickly confirmed as the owner of the feminine voice dropped easily from the tree. It was a large cat youkai, with two tails, large fangs, and fire on all its limbs. Shippo knew that youkai. 

            "Kirara?" He stuttered. 

            The firecat's shoulders shook in a silent laugh. "Shippo!" A disembodied, feminine voice said, seeming to echo from Kirara. "You look surprised." 

            Shippo, for once, was at a complete loss for words. 

            Kirara turned to Kohaku. "Leave him here." She instructed, then turned back to Shippo. "You neeedn't understand, but just listen." She said. "If you want to find a trail around Shinjuku, then follow Kohaku. He can't enter the city either, so following him will be safe. Also, don't worry about Kagome. She _will get to Vadise on time. I guarantee it." _

            With that, the fire cat turned, let Kohaku hop onto her back, and dashed off into the wilderness, leaving Shippo gaping and alone, still trying to figure out what had happened. 

~~

            "You're lucky I caught you." Kirara admonished the young youkai slayer as they ran. "Atma would have been very miffed with you if you had spilled everything to them."

            "Sorry." Kohaku said softly. "I was confused when he knew who I was." 

            "Yes, well," Kirara said. They've had bad experiences with you. 

            "Like what, is it something to do with someone named Naraku?"

            Kirara looked up at him. "Yes." She said after a pause. "He was a very nasty youkai that found you when you were wounded." She said. "He erased your memories, and made you his slave."

            Kohaku looked down. "But why don't I remember it?" 

            "Atma locked away all those memories." Kirara explained. "When she found you, you were continually trying to kill yourself. She locked them away until you could deal with what you did under Naraku's command."

            "So she was protecting me…" He murmured. "But why would I know Sango?"

            "Atma hopes that you'll figure that out by yourself." Kirara said. "I could tell you, but I think it'd be wiser to go along with her plan."

            Kohaku nodded. "Do you really think it was wise to tell Shippo that?"

            "Tell him what?" 

            "That Kagome was going to be okay. We really don't know that." He said. 

            "I feel confident that they will make it. I talked with Vadise, and she knows, and both Kitty and Aaron are in Shinjuku to help them along. They'll be fine."

            "You hope." Kohaku finished. It was a fact, not a question. 

            Kirara sighed. "I hope." She agreed. "I truly hope."

~~

            Kagome gaped at the huge, brilliant walls that stood before her. They were a good thirty feet high, and made out of shining white granite. There was a magnificent gate carved strait into the granite. On each side, there was a statue of some very aristocratic looking youkai, standing with a blade planted lade-first in the ground, much the way InuYasha had when he had called Syldra. 

            Was it just her imagination, or did the statues eyes actually follow her as she walked past. She stood suitably low to the ground, as par instruction, and sulked along behind her "master." 

            InuYasha looked every bit the noble youkai. The feathers in his hair were neatly patterned, and his clothes were that of royalty. 

            Slowly, they emerged into the bustling streets. Somehow, Kagome had been expecting  just another village of huts, albeit nice huts, but still huts. This magnificent city, though, easily dwarfed her present day Tokyo. For a brief moment, she forgot herself, and simply looked around in wonder. 

            The buildings were made out of shining marble, extravagant, and beautiful. Even the streets of the city were clean and bright. Weren't youkai supposed to be the monsters of the world? Then why did their city outshine all the human ones.

            Then, Kagome's eyes saw the truth, in the form of a young teenager. She was wearing nothing, trying to cover herself in a bed sheet, and running as fast as she could, a heavy, silver collar hanging around her neck. There was a commotion, and there came, bursting behind her, several other youkai. One, in particular, stood out. He was large, and had flaming red hair, and rough Tattoos on his face. His ears were wolf like, and he had furry, red stripes on his cheeks and arms. 

            Kagome looked on, in shock, as the girl made a desperate attempt for the gate. She got almost level with Kagome before the wolf youkai caught her, fastening a vice like grip on the end of the chain, and planting his feet. The girl kept running until she got to the end of the chain, then her neck stopped, and her feet whipped out from under her. 

            Kagome watched in horror as the wolf youkai stalked over to the girl, who was gasping for breath, and pulled out a long, thin rapier. The was a cry of pain, and the rapier suddenly seemed to be sticking out of the girl's shoulder, pinning her to the ivory streets. "You have embarrassed me publicly." The youkai stated in a deep baritone. 

            The girl's eyes widened in horror, and she suddenly started to struggle again. Acutely, her eyes focused on Kagome, and her hand shot out, reaching for any sign of help from the girl. Her hopeless eyes watered slightly, then there were two snaps, and her eyes went dull. 

            Kagome's eyes widened in shock as something warm and sticky splattered across her face. Her eyes traced up to the wolf youkai. Almost nonchalantly, he pulled the sword out of the girl's carcass, and shook the blood of his claws. Then, his eyes shifted to Kagome, and met with hers. The youkai held his gaze on the girl for a moment, then shifted his gaze to InuYasha. "Your slave does not know its place." He remarked, his voice deadly, and suspicious. "I do not know you."

            InuYasha fixed his eyes evenly on the other youkai. "I have not had time to teach her proper discipline." InuYasha said, emotionlessly. "She is yet new."

            The youkai nodded, accepting this. "However, I do not know you." 

            InuYasha didn't even blink. "My name is Kain." He said evenly. 

            The youkai nodded again. "Very well," He said, still eying InuYasha suspiciously. "What business do you have here in Shinjuku." 

            InuYasha nodded. "That is a tale that requires much telling, indeed." He said, not missing a beat. "It, however, has no time to be told. I run short on time." With that, he walked on, brushing past the youkai smoothly, dragging the still shocked Kagome through the street firmly. 

            Kagome "limped" through the streets with a new sense of horror now. Almost everywhere she looked she could swear she saw blood red stains on the walls. Her eyes were focusing and unfocusing rapidly, and her breath was coming in small gasps. All of InuYasha's preparations and worry suddenly rushed up to her. She had thought he was just being overprotective, but now the threat became frighteningly real. That youkai had killed a girl, with no more concern than having to buy a new slave. 

            There was a pressure on her neck, and she looked up with tearfilled eyes. InuYasha pulled gently on the collar, flashing her a brief sympathetic look, and then he was gone, replaced by the placid Kain. 

            The slave and her master walked quickly through the streets, ignoring everything but the far gate, which was very far off indeed. 

            As the walked into the center of the city, Kagome, despite the horror of the girl's death, had to gasp at the wonder. This place was beautiful, even though it was deadly. InuYasha, on the other hand, was staring directly into the center of the great Plaza, in a patch of emerald grass, with four aspens of equal size on each corner. Standing, dead center in those aspens, was a statue of the purest marble. 

            The figure in the statue stood just above an ornate grave. He stood tall, back arched, and chest out. He wore a heavy hauberk, and a long cape hung down his back. His feet were bare, and had little claws on each of the toes. His arms were out strait forward, coming together to rest the hands on the hilts of two swords. Those swords were the only two things of the statue that weren't made of marble. They were plain, simple katanas, each the same length, and each made of simple steel. 

            It was the face, however, that truly caught Kagome's attention. The face on the statue was InuYasha's. 

            The slight pulling on her collar prodded her along, and they headed strait for the little square of grass. InuYasha stopped just before the grass, and gently bowed his head reverently. Faintly, Kagome could make out a faded inscription on the tomb. The only words she could read, though, were the name: "InuTaisho"

            _So this is InuTaisho… _

            There was a sudden rabble, pulling InuYasha and Kagome out of their reverie. The both looked up, beyond the garden, to a small opening between buildings. Stumbling out of it, was a drunk.

            But it wasn't just any drunk. This guy looked like a walking arsenal. Across his back, and at his sides were strapped swords, bows, crossbows, and all sorts of other random weapons. He was tall and lanky, and wore an open vest. Across his chest was a chain of throwing knifes. His hair was messy, and pointed every which way in blonde locks. His pants looked almost like jeans, but Kagome knew that was impossible. Jeans weren't around in the warring states era! 

            Even while staggering back and forth, though, the man carried an air of grace, looking almost like he was going to fall several times, but never once actually losing his balance. He staggered over to an odd cat youkai, who took two steps away. 

            "HEY, Bay-bee!" The drunk yelled at the top of his lungs. "Yer looking cute!"

            Kagome blinked. Was that supposed to be some sort of pickup line?

            The cat youkai had a thin coat of black fur all over her, but her definite hourglass figure announced far and wide that she definitely had human assets. Her hair was largely the same color, but with a light blue tinge. Poking out of the crown of locks were two large black cat-like ears. She wore a silken Kimono, and looked at the drunk with an "Oh, brother" expression. 

            "Are you an angel?" The odd guy asked her. 

            The cat-girl rolled her eyes. "Even in the cultural capital, there has to be a village idiot!" She said tartly. 

            The drunk shrugged of the insult with the dexterity of an ox, and began to wander away… strait towards InuYasha. 

            "Shay!" He said in a drunken slur. "Yer that lord Kain guy, aintcha!" He said. 

            Kagome cocked an eyebrow at him. How did he know what InuYasha was calling himself. 

            "I gotta shay, itsh great ta meetcha!" The drunk announced. For the first time, Kagome realized that he was in fact, a human, not a youkai. 

            "Do I know you?" InuYasha asked, cocking an eyebrow. 

            "Oh, shure!" The guy said. "I was a great friend O' Taisho, here." He said, stumbling up onto the grass and putting his arm around the statue. "Yer shome short of relative, right?" 

            InuYasha's eyes narrowed, and he nodded. The drunk stumbled back down, and but his arm around InuYasha's shoulder. "Lissen, buddy!" He said. "I had great reshpect for the old dog. Why don you come over to my plashe for a drink, and mebey a bit O' eatsh!" 

            InuYasha carefully removed the mans arm from his shoulders, and put it at his side. "I must decline. I am in a hurry." 

            "Oh, well!" The man said. "Y'know, you should take more time and enjoy life more." He said, wisely. "Theresh plenty O' things to enjoy in life!" He seemed to struggle to think for a little while. "Like women!" He final announced cheerfully. "You should try to get a girl to like ya!" InuYasha blinked at him. "Like this one here!" The man said, clapping Kagome heartily on the back. "She's a fine catch!" he said. "Try wooing her a bit!" 

            Kagome was suddenly aware that every eye in the square was on them. 

            The man deftly walked over to the garden. "Like flowers!" He said. "Girlsh luv flowers!" He grabbed a handful of grass from the garden, and walked over to InuYasha. "Go on!" He said cheerily. "Give it a try." With that he firmly deposited the grass in InuYasha's hand, and gave him a shove in Kagome's direction. 

            Kagome rolled her eyes, and gave a slightly amused expression to InuYasha. The hanyou let the grass fall from his hand, and turned back to the man, who looked at InuYasha with much interest."

            "Ish yer hair changin' colors?" He asked bluntly. 

            InuYasha's eye twitched, and he whirled back to Kagome, trying to keep from killing the guy.

            Kagome sighed. They needed to get going! It was almost dark. Suddenly, something on InuYasha caught her eye. She inspected his face carefully, and quickly identified it. His hair was changing color. It was turning black. A sudden feeling of horror came over Kagome, and she jerked her head up to the sky. 

            The moon was nowhere to be seen. 

~~

            Bwahahaha! I'm evil!  Hehehe! He! 

            Okay, now that I have all the spasmodicity out of my system, I believe I will give a few author's comments. 

            Okay, for starters, for those of you who haven't gotten it yet, Kohaku and Kirara were the first Masculine and Feminine voices. 

            Next, InuYasha isn't actually a youkai right now, he's just disguised himself as one (Yes, his scent too.) 

            Nextly, it Anyone who is a really good artist could draw a knifto picture of either InuTaisho in the pose I described, or InuYasha in his youkai outfit in that pose, I would love you forever, and give you and infinite supply of cookies… well, not real cookies, cause we're online, but I'm talking about semi-etherial cookies, that are imperceptible. 

            I have, however, drawn pictures of Atma and Vadise, and should have them ready to be seen by the masses by the time I get to introduce Vadise, so if you want some of those, then just tell me, and I'll E-mail them to you once I get to Vadise… sorry, I'm hyper today.

            And please R&R! The more reviews I get, the faster the next chapter comes out!


	30. Night

            Okay, this is the first chapter in which the PG-13 warning comes into play. Umm… I really like this chapter. I did a good job. Anywho, enjoy!        

**

What to do? What to do? InuYasha's hair was changing slowly, so they still had time, but his scent couldn't take too much longer to change, and then they would be very, very dead! Kagome had to get his attention somehow! What could she do…? Then it hit her. 

            InuYasha had his back to her, and was busy trying to detangle himself from the drunkard. His hand wasn't on her chain. With a sudden cry of victory, Kagome turned and bolted, dashing down the nearest street as fast as she possibly could. 

            InuYasha heard the sudden clink of the chain, and looked up at the rapidly disappearing Kagome in horror. 

            "Whoo-EE!" The drunk said, grinning stupidly at the disappearing miko. "Looks a-like yew gotta go!" He said, giving the shocked hanyou a little shove. "Jus remember, the name's Aaron, and I can give yew a hand if ya ever need it." He said amiably. 

            InuYasha growled at the drunk, then tore off after Kagome. The miko didn't stand a chance. The hanyou caught her before she even got halfway down the street. Kagome suddenly choked as she felt her head stop but her feet keep going. A second later she landed flat on her back on the pavement, and gasped in pain. The was a slight hiss of steal, and suddenly Tetsusaiga, in it's beat up old form, embedded itself into the pavement a mere inch form her neck. Smoldering amber eyes burned into hers.

            "You are yet new." InuYasha announced dramatically. "So I will overlook the normal punishment for such insult." With that, her hauled her roughly to her feet, and grabbed her by the neck. Not hard, Kagome noticed, but firmly. Briefly, his eyes flashed inquisitively, then returned to their normal emotionless state. 

            "New moon." Kagome mouthed silently, desperately. 

            InuYasha's eyes flashed once in understanding, then in sorrow. There was suddenly a stinging pain on Kagome's right cheek. Then he put her down, and began to stalk quickly back to the central square. Kagome put her hand to her cheek, and drew it away. The hand was stained red. 

The drunk, Aaron, was waiting beside InuTaisho's grave. Upon seeing them, he waved enthusiastically. 

            InuYasha stalked up to him. "A new agenda has come up." He announced, focusing an icy glare on Kagome. "Where can I find a place to stay?" He asked. 

            "Well, I can help yew out." He said cheerfully. 

            "You don't want to stay in the places he suggests." A new, tart voice said smoothly. The cat-girl whom Aaron had hit on earlier strode up. "There is a fine place over there." She said, indicating a tall building on the far end of the square. 

            "Oh, c'mon Kitty!" Aaron complained. "Ya never let me have any fun." 

            "Kitty?" InuYasha asked. 

            The cat girl nodded. "My name. You probably didn't see me the last time you came through Shinjuku." She explained. "I spend lots of time on the mainland." She looked up at InuYasha and Kagome, and gave them a meaningful wink. "There's a nice clearing over there I like. It has a pond, and very tall grass."

            InuYasha nodded gratefully to her, but eyed her suspiciously all the while. "I thank you." He said, and started walking quickly for the Inn. 

            As the pair disappeared into the inn, Kitty walked over to Aaron. "Think they'll make it." 

            "It'll take a miracle." Aaron said, fading out of his drunken slur. Then he looked up at the cat girl. "Say, would you be interested in going to one of those places I was gonna suggest to those two?" He asked. 

            Kitty looked at him, then bashed him over the head with a fist. "Correction." She said. "THAT would take a miracle."

~~

            The innkeeper looked at them suspiciously. Inwardly, InuYasha prayed that his transformation wasn't too evident yet, and cursed himself for not keeping better track of the moon. "And how many rooms did you want?" The innkeeper asked. 

            InuYasha turned around as he felt his eyes start to change color. "One." He said, firmly, ignoring the shock on Kagome's face. 

            The innkeeper nodded, and started to fish out a key for them, then suddenly paused. "And you would like a single bed in that?" He asked slyly. 

            InuYasha's now brown eyes widened, and conveyed a bit of apology to Kagome. This is what had to be done. "Yes." He said, firmly. 

            Kagome gasped a little, and looked at the hanyou with a little bit of fear. What was he planning?

            The innkeeper looked at them, and sniffed carefully. After they had 'passed' his inspection, he handed them a key. 

            Several flights of stairs later, InuYasha unlocked the door, and beckoned Kagome inside. Nervously, Kagome stepped inside, and InuYasha stepped in behind her, and closed the door softly. 

            The miko turned timidly around, and looked up at InuYasha. The hanyou's transformation was increasing more and more. His hair was now black almost halfway down his back, and his claws were shrinking into normal human nails, and his eyes were now brown, like Kagome's.

            Tenderly, the now human reached down and touched her bloody cheek where his claws had marked her before. "I'm sorry." He said simply, and took his hand away. 

            There was a long, awkward silence. Kagome bowed her head slightly, thinking. She had been through more in a day than most people should have been through in a week. The constant threat of death, the girl's sudden, pitiful demise, InuYasha's slap, and then having to share a room with him. It was all just to much!

            A tear ran down Kagome's cheek, followed by another one, then a third.  A sob racked her body, and she collapsed into InuYasha, holding him tightly around the middle, heedless of the blood she was getting on the nice clothes. 

            InuYasha gently put his hands on her shoulders, and let her cry, taking the blood and the tears in stride. 

            Suddenly, he stiffened, and his grip on Kagome tightened. "You embarrass me publicly, then beg me for mercy?" InuYasha demanded, his voice once again that of Kain. 

            Kagome looked up at InuYasha's face, and gasped. His expression was almost panicked. He nodded urgently at the door, and winked. 

            There must be someone spying! Kagome attempted to turn off the waterworks, but quickly found that she could not. So, she worked them to her advantage instead. "Please, master." She said dramatically. "Please, I was foolish. Please don't…" She said, falling to her hands and knees. 

            InuYasha scowled at her, and hefted her to her feet. "You will get no mercy other than I have already given you." He announced. With that, he shoved her back, making her sprawl on the bed. 

            For a brief moment, Kagome worried. Surely InuYasha wouldn't… No! Of coarse not. He wouldn't!

            "First, we should get rid of these annoying little clothes." He said coldly. With that, he grabbed one of the sheets of the bed, and began to ruffle it dramatically, then threw it to the floor. Kagome whimpered slightly, and squirmed on the bed, adding to the performance. 

            InuYasha gave a pleased little chuckle. "Well, it looks like I wasn't rough enough on you the first time." He said ominously, and hopped onto the bed himself. "Time for you to learn you're lesson, wench."

            Kagome whimpered again, making lots of noise as she inched to the other end of the bed. 

            "I think not!" InuYasha declared, and took Kagome's wrist gently. Kagome suddenly found herself pulled over to the hanyou, and caught up in a deep embrace. Even under the act, Kagome had to blush slightly. Luckily, He chin was hooked over his shoulder, and her face was obscured by his now black hair. 

            There was a "Hmph!" of dissatisfaction from the doorway, and a flurry of footsteps down the hallway. 

            Inuyasha smirked slightly, and squeezed Kagome once more, but comfortingly this time. "You okay?" He asked. 

            Kagome nodded through the black hair. "Thank you, InuYasha." She said, whipping he tears on his sleeve. 

            InuYasha started to pull away, but was pulled back by Kagome's embrace. "Please." She whispered. "Just for tonight… hold me." 

            InuYasha started to speak, then thought better of it. His arms encircled Kagome, and held her until the young miko fell into sleep. 

**

            Hooray for Inu/Kag fluff! Yippie! Hehe! Toodles, more tomorrow!


	31. Escape

            Okay, it's time for some personal responses to reviews! Here we go! 

            Tinuviel: Don't worry, if you don't find out about Aaron in this fic, you'll find out about both him and Kitty in my next fic, (It's a sequel). Also, you're scaring me with that precognition… you shouldn't say stuff like that, you're creeping me out!

            Kitty Katana: Why thank you so much for you're kind words. And don't worry about leaving long critical reviews, those are what I prefer! I love people to tell me how to improve, just so long as it makes some sense. I hate senseless flames, though. They're pointless, and do no-one any good. I'm always up for constructive criticism, though.  Thanks! 

            InusGirl: … um… wow… you sound like me… only I'm like that after making up in the morning. You don't wanna see me sleep deprived. 

            Destiny Smasher: Good luck on you're regents, and always remember: That which does not kill you, can only make you weirder!

            CivilWarBuff: I thank you very much for you're constructive criticism, and you're kind words. You have really helped me through this. Thanks a bunch. 

And for all those people who wanted the pictures: They might take a while longer to do than I thought, but I'll get them to you. Just a warning though, I'm really not that great of an artist (Yet.) I'm largely just drawing Atma and Vadise once a day, just so I can get the practice. So, I'll send you my best once the fic is finished, which shouldn't be to much longer now. (Maybe a week, or two.)

            And for everyone else, thank you for all you're kind words and inspiration. I love you guys!

            And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, (Trumpet fanfare) THE ANNOYING DISCLAIMERS!

            Okay, seriously, I need to give some credit. InuYasha is (Duh!) Not mine. 

            The characters Atma and Vadise are both mine, but their names come from two different square soft games. (Atma is from FFVI, and Vadise is from Legend of Mana)

            Aaron and Kitty are commissioned by my friends, but their pretty much mine. You can use them if you ask my permission first, same with Atma and Vadise. Toodles, have a good day. 

**

            "Atma?" Sango asked incredulously. 

            "I'm telling you, they said they work for Atma!" Shippo said for the fifth time. 

            Miroku rubbed his right hand, deep in thought. "But, didn't Kohaku work for Naraku?"

            "He didn't have the slightest idea who Naraku was." Shippo insisted, getting bored of the conversation. It had been in repeat for several minutes. 

            "But why is Kirara here?" Sango asked, confused. 

            "I don't know!" Shippo almost yelled. "All I know is that they promised Kagome would be alright, and they said we should follow Kohaku."

            Sango sniffed. "But if Kohaku is working for Atma, then why should we trust him?"

            "Because he can't go in to Shinjuku any more than we can." Miroku answered for Shippo, breaking the already broken record of speech. "Shippo's reasoning is sound, and you wanted to find you're brother, don't you?" 

            At this, Sango was visibly torn. "But, what about Kagome?" She asked, worried about her friend. 

            Miroku shrugged. "We have just as much of a chance of finding Vadise following someone than we do if we are just wandering blindly." He said reasonably. "Also, there is definitely more to Atma than we originally thought. She seems to almost be helping us." 

            Shippo nodded. "That's what I thought too."  He said. "Kohaku was saying something like that, but Kirara shut him up."

            Sango looked up. "How did Kirara make him shut up?" She asked. 

            "She told him." Shippo said, shrugging. 

            "But Kirara doesn't talk!" Sango insisted, still having trouble grasping the concept that Kohaku was here, certainly not ready to deal with Kirara as well. 

            "You tell her that." Shippo said defensively. 

            Sango sat down heavily. "I don't know what to do." She said, thoroughly confused.  

            Miroku put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Let's do as Kirara suggests." He advised. "It seems to be the best course of action right now." 

            Sango looked up at Miroku, and nodded thankfully. "Right." She said, "Let's go." 

            Miroku smiled at her, and nodded. 

            With that, they all rose, and took off after their rouge friends. 

~~

            InuYasha awoke very slowly. He was more comfortable here than her had been in a long, long time. There was something about this that just seemed right to him... why?

            And why did her have a sneaking suspicion that it had to do with the young girl snuggled up against his chest. 

            He squeezed Kagome comfortingly, and took a deep breath of her fragrant hair. Whatever that 'shampoo' stuff she always bragged about was, he didn't mind it. Suddenly, InuYasha shook himself. He loved Kikyo! What was he doing... but Kikyo was dead… No! She was alive! She was out there somewhere, confused and alone! That was why she had been acting so strange! That was why she had tried to kill Kagome. IT was just that everyone hated her! InuYasha had to get to her, to help her, to bring her back to normal. That was it! That was the truth… it had to be the truth… it had to be. 

            Then why did InuYasha feel so strongly that it was wrong… 

            Kagome twitched in her sleep, attracting InuYasha's attention. How did this girl who looked so much like Kikyo factor into it? She had Kikyo's soul in her… then did that mean the Kikyo who was running about now wasn't real? It was all so confusing… and what about Kagome, all the matter of souls put aside. She was one of the only ones who ever really treated him with any respect… Kikyo had done that too… or had anyway. Now she was so very cold… so very cold. 

            Kagome, though. She was kind, gentle, and friendly… almost to a fault, and yet she had that special edge that Kikyo had had, determination, calm, kindness, and a bit of temper, all rolled together in one person. InuYasha had never met anyone like Kagome. Even Kikyo was easier to figure out than her at times. 

            Kagome nuzzled up once more, tickling InuYasha with her bangs. InuYasha looked fondly down at the girl, and did the only thing he knew was right. His lips grazed the soft skin of her cheek, and then was fast asleep. 

~~

            InuYasha gently shook Kagome awake in the morning, feeling much more comfortable now that he had all his senses back. 

            "Hmm." Kagome said, comfortably, turning over in her sleep. 

            "Kagome, we need to get up!" InuYasha said gently. Kagome rolled over, and gazed up at InuYasha. 

            "Tea!" She demanded!

            "Kagome." InuYasha said warningly, holding up her golden chain. 

            Grumbling lightly, Kagome stumbled out of bed, and stretched. "Fine." She said, grumbling. InuYasha shrugged, and looked at the blood on his clothes. "This'll be hard to explain." He said. 

            Kagome shrugged. "You'll figure it out." She said. "You caught me by surprise when you started acting like a youkai. I never knew you could act." She commented, and watched in amusement as InuYasha, as predicted uttered his normal "Feh!" 

            There was a sudden, and very urgent rap at the door. InuYasha glanced over, and strode towards the door. "Can I help you?" he asked in his youkai tenor, opening the door cautiously. 

            Suddenly, the door burst inward, and closed very quickly. Standing there, breathing heavily, was Aaron, the drunk. However, he looked very not drunk now. 

            "What is the meaning of this?" InuYasha demanded, getting to his feet. 

            "The jigs up, InuYasha!" Aaron said quickly. "Can the youkai stuff!" He said. 

            InuYasha blinked at him. "Excuse me?" He said, still in his tenor. 

            "I said can the youkai voice, and take off those ridiculous clothes!" Aaron commanded. "Is Kitty here yet?" He asked. 

            "Right here!" Came a tart voice. InuYasha whirled around to see a black cat-girl laying calmly on their bed, licking her curled up hand gingerly. 

            "Hmm…" Aaron said. "Good, were ready to go." He said. 

            "What's going on?" InuYasha yelled. 

            "Sesshoumaru decided to stop by home for a little while." Kitty said. "He heard that there was a strange new youkai named Kain in town, and somehow immediately know it was you. As of  now, you've got a big mob after you. We are planning on jumping out the window, and helping you get out of Shinjuku with you're skins.

            InuYasha blinked. "You're the blue wolf thing, aren't you." He asked. 

            Kitty nodded cheerfully. "Yep!" She said. "I love being able to change my shape, it's so useful!" 

            InuYasha and Kagome blinked in unison. 

            "Anywho!" Aaron said, smiling. "We had better get going. You two go first." He said, pointing at the window. InuYasha cocked his head at him. 

            "Yes?" He prompted. Aaron rolled his eyes. 

            "You grab the miko, and jump through the window." He said, as if it was obvious. 

            Kitty sighed. "This is taking to long!" She declared, and jumped off the bed. Like lightning, she grabbed Kagome, and crashed out the window with a deafening clatter, sending shards of broken glass everywhere. 

            "You'd better hurry!" Aaron called, leaping out the window as well. 

            InuYasha uttered about a million different swear words under his breath, and leapt out the window as well, drawing Tetsusaiga. He was greeted by a veritable battle ground. What he didn't expect, however, was the youkai fighting each other. The four landed lightly, and instantly, Kitty began running towards the far exit with Kagome. "C'mon!" She yelled behind her. "I've got some friends helping us out. We gotta go!" 

Aaron nodded, grabbed InuYasha's arm, and started to run. 

            There was chaos all around them. It looked like they had started a veritable war. Kagome had to gasp at the sheer strength that she was sensing in these youkai. They were in a league of all their own. She hadn't even felt this much strength from Naraku, the few times they had met him. Why were these youkai content to stay here in this city? They could easily have subjugated the mainland… what kept them from doing so?

            There was a slight 'whoosh,' and they passed out of the city gate, and into the lush green forest. Soon, Kitty slowed down, and stopped. InuYasha dashed up, and Aaron only a little behind him. "Well, that worked pretty well!" Aaron said. 

            Kitty scoffed. "Well, as long as you don't count Shinjuku being in civil war, yes." She said acidly. 

            "I don't get it." Kagome said. "Why were they killing their own people?" 

            Kitty sighed. "Well, all Sesshoumaru really said was that the visitor was InuYasha. Just about everyone knows that name, so it didn't take long. There had been tensions growing between those who agreed with InuTaisho, and those who thought humans aught to be subjugated."

            Kagome blinked. "I don't understand."

            "My old man wanted to have slavery abolished." InuYasha said roughly. "He said that humans should be allowed to stay in Shinjuku unopposed, and have rights too."

            Kagome snorted. "How did that go over?" She asked. 

            InuYasha grinned at her. "Not as bad as one might think." He said. "Pops had a pretty good ground of followers, and not all the youkai actually think that humans are inferior." He snorted. "That bastard you saw killing his slave was just bad timing. Most of the youkai in Shinjuku treat their humans alright."

            Kagome nodded. "That's good." She remarked. 

            "However, that 'bastard' as you call him, was you're father's main opponent." Aaron filled in. "He thinks we should go in to the mainland, and take over it too. HE acts like we own this island." 

            Kagome looked at him. "Don't you?" She asked. 

            Aaron looked at her, then started laughing hysterically. Kitty patted her shoulder. "Listen, we live on the dragons' island." She informed the miko. "Me and Aaron here, well, we're dragoons. We serve the dragons. But as for the rest of Shinjuku, the dragons let them stay because it would be a pain in the tail to get up and remove them. We aren't even a minor inconvenience to them. Albeit most of Shinjuku wouldn't admit it."

            Kagome grimaced. "Are the dragons really that powerful?" She asked. 

            Kitty nodded. "Yes." She murmured. "Not only do they have immense physical power, but they have spiritual powers to match many of the most powerful mikos. There were only two that even the dragons couldn't compare with: Midoriko the warrior-priestess, and Kikyo, the shrine-maiden."

            Kagome and InuYasha were suddenly very quiet. Then Kagome rubbed her chin. "But, when Atma attacked us, she called down lightning down at us." She said. "No miko I know can do that."

            Kitty's eyes suddenly widened. "Atma didn't say that she used _magic _on you when she attacked!" She yelled. 

            InuYasha and Kagome looked up suddenly. "What?" They both demanded. 

            Kitty suddenly put her hands over her mouth. "Ehehehe!" She laughed nervously. "Nothing, nothing at all." She rubbed the back of her head. "But magic, that was what I was getting to!" She said. "Magic is a very special force that belongs to the dragons alone. Humans and youkai can often perform minor feats of sorcery  in the form of incantations or potions, but only dragons can wield raw untamed magic. It's like a force of nature, and an experienced dragon is almost unstoppable once it starts using magic."

            Kagome scratched her head. "But I thought magic was only able to be used with, I dunno, magic incantations, and such. You have to cast specific spells, and such."

            Kitty sighed. "Looks like somebody's been reading way too many books!" She remarked. "Listen, humans like people to think that they're the masters of everything, and so they put all sorts of restrictions on things to make it seem like they're the masters of it, but you can't do that with magic. It's a force, not a bunch of spells."

            Kagome nodded. "Oh." She said. 

            "Well, then!" Said a new, arrogant voice. "If you are really all done with that, then I believe we will be taking the hanyou and the human."

            All four of the newly formed allies whipped around. Standing side by side were two youkai, both were familiar. Sesshoumaru stood emotionlessly on the right. An the left, stood the wolf youkai who had killed the girl yesterday. 

            "Looks like we have the traitors." He said. 

            Sesshoumaru paid him no mind. "I am here for InuYasha. You can do what you will with the rest" He said emotionlessly. 

            InuYasha looked up, and locked eyes with his brother. "You want some again?" He asked. 

            The wolf youkai nodded. "You take the pup, Sesshoumaru." He said. "I'll take the others." He fixed a hungering glance at Kagome. "I didn't really want to buy a new slave." He said. "Now it looks like I won't have to." 

            Kagome had a chilling moment. InuYasha would have all he could do with Sesshoumaru. Could these two really defend her against such a powerful youkai. Aaron was human, and Kitty didn't really look like a fighting type. 

            Suddenly Aaron started laughing. "Hey, Kitty?" He asked. "Can I take him?" He asked. "It's been a while since I last had some exercise." 

            Kitty sighed, "Fine," She said. "Have fun." 

            Kagome blinked. What could a human do against a noble youkai? Hopefully, more than she thought.

**

            Sorry for the crappy ending, but I had to end it somewhere. Just wait till tomorrow. You've got two major fight scenes coming your way! Have a good day!


	32. Cats and Dogs

Heh, sorry this took so long to get up. The computer lab I normally use was closed the last couple of days, so I guess You just had to wait in suspence. 

Also, I received many reviews questioning why InuYasha treated Kagome so badly, and why that didn't make her condition worse. The answer is: It did make her condition worse. Not as bad, however, as it would have been had someone noticed how very slack Inu was Being, and their cover had been blown. It was the lesser of two evils. A little violence to Kagome, or death on both of their parts. I think we all know the right choice. 

Anywho, on with the fic. 

**

            The youkai stood in a classic fencing stance, his rapier drawn, and pointing strait for Aaron's face. The blonde human, on the other hand, stood lankily and limp, cracking his knuckles. 

            "So…" The wolf youkai said sinisterly. "You really think that you, a mere human, can take out I, Tyrell?" 

            Kagome turned inquisitively to Kitty. "His name." The cat girl explained. "He likes to refer to himself like that. He thinks it makes him sound important." 

            Aaron shrugged. "You don't think I can do it?" He asked. 

            Tyrell grinned confidently. "I honestly don't think… I know." He said. Kagome had to stuff down a groan at the cliché, but did roll her eyes. 

            Aaron cocked an eyebrow at him. "I don't think you know either." She said. 

            Sesshoumaru sighed, and looked up at InuYasha. "I grow tired of this incessant banter." He said his voice the same infuriating monotone. "Let us go, and have our fight elsewhere." 

            InuYasha glowered back at him. "This place seems fine to me." He said, drawing Tetsusaiga. 

            Sesshoumaru nodded. "I merely thought that given your mates condition, you wouldn't wish to have her in the crossfire."

            InuYasha tensed. "She's not my mate!" He growled. Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru was right. If they were going to go at it the way they normally did, they would have to do it in a different place. He turned to Aaron. "If she has even one scratch on her, then you are dead." He said, then glared up at Sesshoumaru. "Let's go." He growled. 

            Sesshoumaru smiled slightly, and walked into the forest. InuYasha followed. 

            Tyrell watched them go with a grin. "well, now that the trash is gotten rid of, let's get started."  With that, he turned around. Aaron, however, was already in action. His fist contacted with the unprepared youkai's face with stunning ferocity. 

            Tyrell fell back with a surprised yell, and his hands went to his nose. He staggered to his feet, trying to stop the blood flow from his nose. "Count on a human to take such dishonorable thoughts." 

            Aaron laughed full in his face. "Give it up." He said. "I'm drunk, unscrupulous, and an all around bastard with little or no honor, so I don't have any respect to lose." He laughed again. "I'm gonna use every dirty trick in the book, so you had better drop any ways of honest fighting you know." With that, he picked up an easy fighting stance, laid back, but ready to defend easily. 

            Tyrell whipped the blood from his lips, and readied his rapier. "Very well." He said, and suddenly charged forward, thrusting powerfully with his rapier. 

            Aaron saw the attack coming, and leaned back to avoid it. However, he didn't rebalance, and fell backwards landing on his back, letting the rapier tip pass overhead. However, as he fell, his foot managed to find its way into a very sensitive area in between Tyrell's legs. 

            The youkai grimaced, and stumbled back, doubling over, and falling to the ground. Aaron rolled back onto his feet and laughed heartily. "I warned you." He said. "I grew up fighting in bars, and you don't win those playing clean." He said. 

            Suddenly, a handful of dust flew from the crouched Tyrell, and imbedded itself in Aaron's face, blinding him temporarily. "You're right!" Tyrell hissed, leaping to his feet, and slashing the human across the chest savagely. "Fighting this way is much more enjoyable." 

            Aaron leapt back with a cry of pain, and rubbed the sand from his burning eyes. He didn't bother clutching at the wound, but simply reached back, and grabbed a one of the weapons on his back. As he pulled out a simple nodachi, he grinned. "That was a mistake." He growled. With that he dashed forward, lightning fast, and began to rain blows down on the youkai, his blade moving in a blur. Tyrell's rapier moved all across his body attempting to black the flurry of blows. Suddenly, there was a pain in his stomach. He looked down in horror at the hilt of the dagger sticking out of his gut. 

            Aaron leapt back and shrugged. "Tsk! Tsk!" He wagged a finger at the stunned youkai. "You should never assume you're enemy has only one weapon." 

            Tyrell staggered back, growling. "well, _human_!" He seethed. "It seems I've underestimated you." He grinned slightly, and began to shudder. Slowly, she turned to Kagome. "It doesn't matter, though." He said. "I will have my slave. I normally like mine to be virgins, but you'll do just as well." 

            Kagome suddenly let out a high squeak. "But I _am_ a-"

            Tyrell laughed, the fur on his cheeks slowly beginning to spread, and his claws getting longer. "That's funny!" He said. "The scent of that hanyou is all over you." 

            Kitty turned to Kagome, interested. The cat girl took two sniffs of Kagome then grinned at her. "How was he?" She asked mischeviously. Kagome's blush spread all over her face. 

            Tyrell laughed again. "Well, then again, you're scent is all over him." He said, indicating Aaron. 

            Kitty suddenly stiffened, and turned slightly. Kagome could have sworn she saw a blush through the black hair. Her eye twitched slightly, and her claws extended out from her fingers. "Okay, that's it!" She said, now very annoyed. 

            Her hair seemed to grow longer, and lighter, turning to a light shade of blue. Even as this happened, Tyrell's face grew longer, and more waiflike. 

            Small wings grew from Kitties back, and her underbelly turned white. Soon, she resembled almost fully the wolf that the group had met at the clearing only four days earlier.

            Tyrell, on the other hand, looked like the perfect traditional werewolf, a long wolf like head, a humanoid, furry body, and long claws. He laughed slightly, his voice distorted by his odd jaws. "Well, then." He growled. "Let's see how things turn out now."   With that, he launched himself at Aaron, but was cut off by Kitty, who barreled into his side, and sunk needle fangs into his neck. 

            Aaron, to mean to miss the opportunity, swung two Kodachi into his hands, and landed about seven slashes on Tyrell's face and neck. 

            The werewolf fell back, bleeding badly, then launched himself at Kitty, lashing out with its harsh claws. However, a long yari flew from Aaron's hands to land between his legs, causing him to fall to the ground. Kitty leapt on his back, and kneaded her claws into his back. Tyrell screamed in pain. 

            Kagome blinked as this went on for some time, Aaron and Kitty tossing him around without getting a scratch. However, Tyrell wasn't showing any signs of slowing down, despite having mane severe wounds. 

            Suddenly, her eyes caught a bow lying among several broken arrows, lying on  the ground. They must have come off of Aaron when he had fallen on his back… oh well! Don't scoff at blessings! Kagome crept over to the bow and arrows, rotting through the broken shafts, and finally found a whole arrow. Grinning, she lifted the bow, and knocked the arrow, taking careful aim. 

            Aaron skillfully grabbed the werewolf's arms as Tyrell slashed at him, and lifted his feet off the ground swinging through the werewolf's legs, and flipping up to stop artfully on his back, smashing the werewolf to the floor. 

            Tyrell growled roughly, then suddenly howled in pain as a brightly glowing arrow embedded itself in his back. His howl turned into a scream, then gurgled away as his body disintegrated under the powerful blast of miko energy. 

            Aaron and Kitty blinked at the charred remains, then up at the hard breathing Kagome. Kitty cocked her head, and suddenly resumed her humanoid form, and starred at Kagome, her face halfway between confusion and shock. 

            "Wow." She said. 


	33. Fluffy

            InuYasha brought Tetsusaiga up, blocking the lethal greenish whip. Sesshoumaru grinned at the futile attempt, and merely attacked at a different angle, whipping out with his whip from the left. 

            InuYasha growled slightly, and brought his father's blade up to cut off the whip's course to his body. 

            Once again, Sesshomaru merely retracted the weapon, and launched it again. 

            This had to stop! He could never last like this! Suddenly, InuYasha grinned, and lowered Tetsusaiga. Sesshoumaru's whip struck out, and pierced strait through the hanyou's fancy clothes. InuYasha grinned savagely as his hands fastened hard onto the searing whip. 

            Sesshoumaru once again pulled the whip in, but this time, InuYasha was quick in tow. His fist cracked into Sesshoumaru's jaw with stunning force, knocking the shocked youkai back. Sesshoumaru rose gracefully to his feet, and regarded the hanyou coldly, rubbing the faint hint of blood of his jaw with the back of his fist. "Well, InuYasha." He said coldly. "You seem to be using you're brain a bit now." Suddenly, Sesshoumaru whipped into motion, moving faster than InuYasha had ever seen him do before. 

            He gasped in pain as Sesshoumaru's claws dug into him, ripping his fancy robes to pieces. His red robes hung out through the outer robes. 

            "However, you will need much more than just that, to do what you must."  He ripped once again savagely into his half brother. 

            InuYasha winced in pain, and lashed out savagely with Tetsusaiga. He felt a light clip, and Sesshoumaru's sleeve fell off, revealing a charred stump where his arm used to be. Sesshoumaru sniffed. "Better, but you must be faster." He suddenly appeared behind InuYasha, his claws into his back repeatedly like miniature pistons. 

            InuYasha screamed in pain, and quickly brought his foot back, kicking Sesshoumaru''s feet out from under him. 

            The youkai dropped gracefully dropped to his hands and thrust himself back up, slashing up InuYasha's legs. 

            InuYasha winced in pain… then something occurred to him. He concentrated on Tetsusaiga, and it flared again, returning to the small, beat up form. He reversed the blade, and brought the end of the silk wrapped hilt crashing into Sesshoummaru's nose. The youkai grunted in pain as his nose was shattered, blood flowing freely from it. Then, InuYasha whipped the blade around and promptly hit Sesshoumaru in the side of the neck with stunning force. Now that the sword wasn't as heavy, he could move it much quicker. 

            Sesshoumaru leapt away again, dashing through the trees at high speed. InuYasha grinned and followed. It may not be able to cut, but it could sure as hell club!

            InuYasha followed Sesshoumaru into a small clearing, with many signs of living in it. There was a makeshift tent, and a still smoldering fire. InuYasha quickly located Sesshoumaru, and grinned. "You ain't that tough!" He said, swinging Tetsusaiga in a circle with one hand. 

            Sesshoumaru grinned. "Well, of course." He said. "If I actually fought you, it would be over too soon, and that would be no fun." 

            InuYasha bristled. "You sure talk big for a guy with a broken nose." 

            Sesshoumaru smiled slightly, and held up his front two fingers. They started glowing slightly, and the whip slowly oozed out.

            "Sess-chan! Inu-Sama!" A young voice called from the makeshift tent. "Cut it out!" 

            Sesshoumaru bonked slightly, and turned a slightly nervous glance over to the tent. Out of it, appeared a young fifteen year old girl, dressed in a bright Kimono, and scruffy black hair. InuYasha dimly recognized the girl from the night Sesshoumaru and he had fought before. 

            She stalked out of the tent, and right up to the apprehensive Sesshoumaru. The scowled slightly at the blood on the front of Sesshoumaru's clothing. She groaned slightly, and shook her head. "Sess-chan!" She complained. "You know how hard it is to get blood out of silk!" 

            InuYasha's eyebrow perked up, and laughs started tickling his throat. _Sess-chan?_

Sesshoumaru himself looked absolutely mortified. His face was even paler than normal. 

            The girl looked up at his face. "Oh, and you got your nose broken too!" She said. "What am I going to do with you?"

            At this InuYasha cracked a slight snort, trying his best no to laugh. That proved to be a mistake. The girl suddenly looked up at the bleeding hanyou, and her eyes went very flat. She stalked over to InuYasha and looked him up and down. 

            "And YOU aren't any better." She said, wagging a finger at him. "I swear, all men ever do is fight and bleed!" She groaned, and ripped a piece of InuYasha's now ruined aristocratic clothes, and moaned. "This was good cloth, and you and fluffy-chan don't even change into play clothes before having a little sparring match!" She gave an exasperated sigh, and stalked back into the tent. Out of it flew two stray kimonos. 

            "It's all I have." She said. "Change into these, and I'll do the wash." With that she disappeared back into the tent. 

            InuYasha turned to Sesshoumaru, who, unlike normal, had an almost horrified expression on his face. InuYasha smiled and savored the inevitable question. "Fluffy-chan?" 

            Sesshoumaru bristled. "You may leave now," he said dismissively. "I have discovered what I needed to know." 

            InuYasha cocked an eyebrow. "Right." He said sarcastically. "In that case, I'll see you later, _FLUFFY_!!" 

            Sesshoumaru bristled again. Slowly he turned and starred at InuYasha, keeping his temper under control. "Tell Aaron and Kitty, 'Thank you for ridding me of Tyrell.'" He seethed, and then, with as much pride as he could muster, stalked over, and picked up one of the Kimonos. InuYasha laughed slightly, and walked off, feeling strangely energetic despite the fact that he was losing more blood by the second. 

            He found Kagome where he left her, but there was a slight tension between Aaron and Kitty. Kagome instantly looked up as InuYasha ran into the clearing. The got up and ran over to the wounded hanyou. "InuYasha!" She said, stopping right in front of him. "Are you alright?"   
            InuYasha cocked his head, and blinked. "That was the most messed up fight I've ever been in…" he commented. 

            Kagome blinked at him, and then saw the profuse blood. "Oh, God." She gasped. "You're bleeding." 

            InuYasha sighed. "I tend to do that a lot." He said. 

            Kagome looked at him suspiciously. "You're sure you're alright." 

            InuYasha nodded, then suddenly chuckled slightly. "Fluffy." He said. 

            Kagome gave him an inquisitive look. "What?" She asked. 

            InuYasha shook his head, and chuckled again. "I'll tell ya later." He said simply, then looked to the side. Kitty had snuck up, and was sniffing him experimentally. InuYasha stared at her. "Yes?" He prompted. 

            Kitty paid him no mind, and went on to sniff Kagome. Soon she was satisfied, and grinned at Aaron. "Yep!" She said, and ran back to his side on all fours. 

            InuYasha blinked. "What was that all about?" He asked. 

            Kagome blushed slightly. "You're scent is apparently all over me." She said, very quietly. "They think we…" She couldn't finish. 

            InuYasha stiffened up, and remembered last night. The scents would still be fresh this morning! He stared daggers over at the pair. They were snickering together slightly. 

            InuYasha growled at the slightly, and turned back to Kagome. "We need to get going." With that, he ripped off her collar, and began to lead her away deeper into the forest. 

            Kitty snickered slightly, and ran up behind them. "Here, probably want this." She tossed the receding pair a single, think quilt. InuYasha caught it out of midair, and sniffed at it. "What's this?" He asked. 

            Kitty held back a snicker. "Well, that sort of stuff on the ground can be sort of uncomfortable, so…"   
            Kagome's blush spread, and InuYasha's eyebrows arched up angrily. Kitty laughed, and waved them goodbye. "Come back and see us sometime!" She invited. "We'll make sure you can get here safely." She turned to run back to Shinjuku, then paused. "And those places that Aaron knows aren't half bad, too!" She threw over her shoulder, and disappeared. 

            Kagome's blush became so hot that it was an audible phenomenon, but it didn't manage to cover up the angry hanyou's stream of angry curses. 

**

            Okay, a few authors notes on this chapter. For starters, I whould like to say that this was the funnest chapter in the world to write. 

            Second, is about Sesshoumaru. For starters, I've changed Sesshoumaru's relationship with InuYasha a bit. They still hate each other, but they are pretty much in a 'truce' right now. Don't worry, when I really have them fight, the sparks will fly. However, right now, it is both in their best interests not to kill each other right now. InuYasha get's to continue trying to save Kagome, and Sesshoumaru… well, I won't tell you what Sesshoumaru's getting out of it yet. 

            Also, there is bound to be complaints about Sesshoumaru's OOCness. Well, He acts weird here, because he is still getting accustomed to Rin… She knocks him off his normally emotionless little pedestal. Also, he can't stand being called Sesshy or Fluffy by anyone besides Rin, so that also knockes him off. 

            Anywho, The next chapter, we get more dragons, so be prepared. We are no officially on Week 2. Thanks for reading. 


	34. A change in geography

Well, sorry it took me so long to get this up. My schedules been wacky, and I ended up spending the weekend in Virginia. Anywho, sorry for the short chapter, but I'm on a tight schedule right now, what with the 4th of July tomorrow and all. Anywho, hope you enjoy this chapter. I had hopped to actually have the dragon come into the story this chapter, but it worked to well as a cliffhanger!

Miroku panted heavily as he dashed after Sango, dragging Shippo along with him by the tail. Why had he been so stupid as to convince Sango to go after Kohaku? Now she was tearing through the forest like some sort of demon, and poor Miroku had to try to keep up with her. She barely stopped to eat, and hadn't slept for two nights! It was like she was possessed… but the again, she was always like this when it came to her brother. 

            Miroku squinted as a particularly large branch hit him in the face, and knocked him to the side. Unhindered, the monk pressed on, following Sango dutifully. Finally, he caught a site of the youkai slayer's pink and black cat-suit through the thick bush. He burst through the foliage, and stopped next to Sango. She was staring forward in shock. 

            "What's wrong?" He asked. When he got no answer, he followed her gaze. The was no longer any sort of forest to be seen. Sprawling out in front of them was a gigantic desert, made of fine, white sand, uninterrupted for miles. There were no cacti, no animals, nothing. 

            Shippo whistled. "I don't think we should go in there." He vouched. 

            Miroku nodded without speaking. 

            Sango's eyes narrowed, and she looked down at the sand for any signs of Kohaku. There weren't even footprints in the sand. She nodded. "He hasn't come this way." She said authoritatively. "I agree." 

            "Umm…" Shippo said, turning around. "That might be a little hard." He said. 

            "Why?" Miroku asked, turning around. 

            Oh. 

            Sprawling behind them, where the forest had assuredly been just a moment ago, was more sparkling white desert. Something very odd was going on. 

            Sango's eyes narrowed, and her eyes immediately spotted the twin sets of tracks in the sand. They had come this way!

            Sango nodded, and motioned to the others. "This way." She called, and began to dash over the extensive dunes, following the fading tracks carefully. 

            Miroku shrugged "She has more stamina than a horse." He said… but then again, now that they were in the desert, his view of Sango running from behind would no longer be obstructed… make the best in every situation!

**

            InuYasha looked around confusedly. Why the hell had the scenery changed so suddenly. One minute, they were in the middle of a deep forest, and the next they had were in a giant mountain range, filled with little rivulets of molten lava running every witch way! 

            InuYasha growled his annoyance at the blistering heat, and looked back at Kagome. InuYasha didn't make light of any gift from a Shinjuku youkai… and the quilt was no exception. At the current time, however, it was being used to carry Kagome, papoose style, on his back. She had fallen asleep over an hour ago, leaving InuYasha to look for any signs of a path they should be following. Unfortunately, InuYasha found himself looking at Kagome more of the time. 

            She did look very pretty, lying there, using his hair as a slight pillow. She snuggled deeper into his back, and sighed contentedly. InuYasha looked at the blanket, then back at Kagome… She really was very pretty… Kikyo had been beautiful, but Kagome definitely had something that she didn't… maybe it was just that Kagome was much more laid back. Kikyo had always been bound by rules, but Kagome was much more a free spirit. And her clothes were foreign, and odd. They showed much more than most people were comfortable with… although InuYasha couldn't say that he really minded. 

            Suddenly, he went rigged, and turned around, blushing slightly. What was he doing? He had never thought _that_ way about Kagome before! He hadn't even thought about Kikyo in _that manner that often… why was his mind suddenly running away now? _

            Then, the renegade brain drifted his thoughts back towards the night  they had spent together… they way her body had pressed up  against his… all the little details of that night that he hadn't noticed then began to come back to him. He shook his head to get those thought out of his mind! He shouldn't be thinking about Kagome in that way! He loved Kikyo! That was almost as bad as cheating on her… but that little part in his brain that was always so very damn logical denied it. The thing that bothered him about it, was that that little part of his brain tended to be right… and he definitely didn't like what it was telling him about Kikyo! 

            There was a movement on his back, and Kagome yawned slightly, and poked her sleepy head over his shoulder. "Where are we?" She asked. 

            InuYasha avoided looking at her, and coughed slightly. "I dunno." He said, roughly. Kagome must have noticed his tone, because she looked over concerned at him. "Are you okay?" She asked. 

            InuYasha nodded, a bit to quickly, then turned to her. "You're the one who's hurt." He said. "How're you feelin?" 

            Kagome seemed to think on this, then shrugged. "I've got the same headache, and I feel sore all over, and really tired, but I don't really actually hurt that much." She let out a big breath, and fanned herself. "Why is it so hot?" She asked. 

            As if on queue, a geyser of boiling, molten rock erupted several hundred yards to their left, and sent a wave of heat over them. 

            InuYasha grinned, and panted slightly. "I think that it might be the lack of shade." He said. 

            Kagome sighed slightly, and shook her head, then perked up. It had been a long while since she had sensed anything like this, and it was feint, but it was definitely there. "InuYasha." She said urgently. "I sense a jewel shard!" 

            InuYasha looked up at her, then started to run slightly. "Tell me if it comes near us." He said, running steadily. 

            Kagome looked down at him, confused. "Aren't you going after it?" She asked. 

            InuYasha half snorted. "We have other things to do right now that are more important than getting those damn shards." 

            Kagome blinked slightly… and looked down at InuYasha in shock. Had he really just said that? Was it really InuYasha carrying her? "InuYasha…" She said softly. "Thank you."   
            InuYasha suddenly realized what he said… and mentally smacked himself. "Don't flatter yourself!" He said roughly. "I just want to get my shikon detector back." _What the hell was that? The little logical part in InuYasha's brain yelled at him. _What's wrong with you, you idiot bastard? _InuYasha didn't like to admit it, but the part of his brain was right. Why did every time he say something nice, he ruined it by acting like a bastard… especially around Kagome. Why the hell couldn't he just once say something nice and just leave it at that. Physically, he prepared himself for the brutal sitting that was due to him. _

            Kagome, on the other hand, decided against it, and sighed. It didn't take a miko to see that the hanyou was obviously trying to cover up from being overly sensitive. And besides, it is not wise to sit the hand that carries you over boiling lava. 

**

            Sango had once again stopped, but this time, it didn't take long for Miroku to find out why. Looming out of the sand was a very large ridge. It had spikes running down the top of it, and it was a beautiful azure blue. The surface of it seemed oddly scaly… and warm. 

            Miroku nodded. They were now, indeed, in the territory of the dragons. 

            There was a slight growl, and part of the wall of sapphire scales opened, revealing a slit like, crystalline eye. 


	35. Khellendros the Storm

            Heh, well, two things here. First off, I can't get into the computer lab that I normally use, so updates will be a bit more erratic… but hopefully still fairly regular, and second of all, I just got a new RPG, so blame all lack of updates on that. I'll still try to update every day, but no guarantees. Anywho, on with the story!

**

            The huge eye blinked once, and then narrowed. Miroku nervously reached forward, and pulled Sango back several feet. There was a tense silence. 

            Slowly, starting deep beneath their feet, a rumble started to work its way to the surface. The crystalline blue eye narrowed angrily, and the sand all around them suddenly exploded upward as, like an angry, blue lightning bolt, the dragon erupted from the sand, sending all three of the travelers flying in different directions. The beast rose, towering, into the air. Sango gasped in awe as the sky clouded even as the dragon rose to its full height, towering into the sky. 

            It held one arm into the sky, its ivory claws reaching up to the roiling black clouds. In response, bolts of lightning raced down to the claw tips, crackling across the azure hand, down the cerulean arms, across the huge, outspread sapphire wings, and down the spiny, scaled back, and rushed from the thrashing tail into the whirling sands. 

            The dragon looked sown slowly, and trained it's deep, pool-like eyes on Sango. Its mouth parted, revealing a row of ivory blades. "How dare you pervade upon the sacred desert of Khellendros, the storm, the portal master?" Hissed the dragon. 

            Sango was speechless. This dragon wasn't holding back. If Atma was the most powerful of them, then how much had she been holding back? 

            The dragon, Khellendros, looked down at her in rage. "You do not answer?" It hissed in its cool, inhuman voice. "Very well." It lifted its head to the clouds, and its eyes flashed an intense gold. 

            Sango gasped as the felt her body begin to tingle, and only managed to scramble to the side before a giant, burning white bolt of electricity struck down at the spot where she had been standing just a moment before. The heat from the bolt hit her like a solid wall; she could feel the skin on her face blistering. Tears began to form in her eyes, and she feebly tried to scramble out of the way of the next bolt. This one hit even closer, and she cried out in pain as the heat ripped though her body. 

            The dragon looked down at her, almost amused. "Impressive." He murmured, and flexed on of his talons in front of his face as if bored. "But still, you are a dead girl walking." His eyes flared once again, and the sand directly in front of her shifted. She gasped in horror as a golem rose from the sand, brandishing a sword of the purest glass. The golem of sand whirled, and slowly took shape. Sango gasped as she suddenly found herself looking at a perfect sculpture of herself. The golem brandished the sword, and grinned. Sango slowly rose to her feet, every muscle in agony. Golems tended to be slow. She would be able to defend herself at least. 

            The golem grinned, and suddenly leapt ten feet into the air, executing a perfect flip over the youkai slayer's head, and landed gracefully behind her. Sango gasped in surprise, and whipped out her katana, smoothly deflecting the blow despite the pain in her muscles. The golem opened her mouth in a silent laugh, and recovered like lightning, slashing from the left. Sango blocked the blow, but fell roughly to the side, gasping in pain. 

            The golem reversed its blade, and lifted it high, preparing to stab downward, when suddenly it was engulfed in roaring blue flame. Silently, the golem slowed down as the sand heated and began to fuse. 

            "Sango!" cried a childlike voice. Shippo rounded the melting golem, keeping the foxfire blazing, and came to stand next to the youkai hunter. "Are you alright." 

            "No." Sango gasped, feeling too much pain to lie. 

            Shippo cut out the fox fire, and looked up. The golem was now stopped totally, a perfect statue of Sango, made of pure, blue glass. 

            Khellendros's mouth curved upward at the victory. "Well." He said thoughtfully. "This is turning out to be rather fun." Lighting crackled across his talons again, and he grinned. "Maybe I will let you live." His eyes narrowed. "Provided you can defeat my dragoon." 

            Sango's cocked her head to the side… and against all odds, started laughing in the face of certain death. 

**

            InuYasha took a great running start, and then a mighty leap, easily clearing the fountain of lava that covered their path… or what little path they had. Largely, they were wandering randomly… and it was driving InuYasha insane. 

            "Umm, excuse me?" A soft, sultry voice rang from behind the pair. 

            InuYasha turned around quickly, and Kagome poked her head over his shoulder to see. Sitting lightly on the molten rock's surface was a young girl. She grinned at them, and waved. "Hi!" She said. 

            InuYasha blinked. "What the hell?"

            The girl was maybe thirteen… and far you young to be wearing an outfit like the one she had on! It was a deep crimson, and covered only the very barest of essentials. Her hair matched her clothes, and her skin had a tan that was probably a bit more than healthy. Her grin revealed two large fangs. "That's exactly what I would like to know!" She said, shifting to sitting cross-legged, and looking very pouty. "What the hell are you doing here?"

            Kagome looked nervously at InuYasha, then back at the girl. "Um… InuYasha." She said, very nervous. "I'm getting one of those really bad feelings." 

            InuYasha nodded. "I sort of picked up on that." He said. Her fingernails had been digging into his back since she had laid eyes on the girl. 

            The girl cocked her head at them. "Why are you here?" She asked again. "This is my place. You shouldn't have come here." 

            InuYasha closed his eyes, and sighed. "We're looking for Vadise." 

            The girl's face scrunched up, and she started to snicker. "You're… looking for Vadise?" She asked, and started to laugh. "What a hoot!" She cried, "What an absolute riot!" She began to tip backwards in midair, and suddenly dropped into the molten magma. 

            "You think she's gone?" Kagome asked nervously. 

            InuYasha snorted. "Not really." He said. 

            Sure enough, the girl floated out again, completely unscathed. "Heh, whoops!" She said cheerfully. "I do that all the time." She smacked her forehead lightly. "Silly me!" She shrugged again, and lifted both arms into the air. "Well, if you're gonna be stupid, then I might as well tell you where she is." 

            InuYasha gasped in surprise. "You will?" He asked. Was it really going to be that easy?

            The girl nodded, and held up her hands. "Unfortunately… I will tell you. But nothing is that easy, InuYasha." 

            Her hands erupted into twin pillars of flame.  


	36. The fall of Khellendros

            Kitty sat glumly in a bar in Shinjuku. What a bummer this was! It was still early; Aaron had been called off by Tiamet, his dragon, and left her all alone. The battle had already calmed down, and now a tense silence had settled over the city. Not only that, Sesshoumaru was back in his own mansion, now with a human with him… and Kitty would be damned three times if the girl was his slave. She acted more like a mother, for crying out loud! She groaned slightly, as she finished off whatever happened to be in the bottle she held, and weakly signaled for another one. 

            Aaron would probably be gone for a week, at least. That always got her depressed. She was just about the only youkai serving under a dragon, and it got sort of lonely. Aaron was nice, though. He understood her. He knew how she worked, and she had a vague idea of how he worked too, albeit it was hard to understand someone as weird as him… but Kitty prided herself in being able to maintain a pretty good idea of how he was feeling. 

            And then there was Atma's new dragoon, Kohaku. That boy was odd. Kitty was a good judge of character, but Kohaku was almost unreadable. He was odd… and there was definitely something between him and that Sango girl… but what? 

            Kitty growled slightly, and took another long swig. Suddenly, there was a tug at the edge of her brain. All the alcohol drained from her blood almost instantly, and she rose. She was being called. She rolled her eyes, and muttered. How had she gotten paired with such an egotistical dragon? 

            She sighed, and walked out of the bar. What did the _mighty Khellendros_ want now?

~~

Sango laughed. She laughed in the face of a beast that killed for fun. She laughed because she would die as a relief from boredom. She laughed until tears of hopelessness ran down her cheeks. She laughed until her sides her and she wanted to throw herself off a cliff. 

She laughed at herself. She laughed at the perverted monk, probably already dead from the blasts of lightning. She laughed at Kagome, doomed to die. She laughed at InuYasha, who would kill himself from grief. She laughed at Shippo, who would be left alone. She laughed at Kirara, a little lost kitten. She laughed at Kohaku, forever to serve. She laughed at herself, for ever thinking she could save anyone. 

            But most of all, she laughed at the poor, deluded dragon who thought it stood a chance against a desperate woman. With a single, echoing, crazed cry, she hurled herself at the huge beast, grabbing her boomerang, and laughing insanely. 

            Shippo blinked at the crazed youkai exterminator. She had finally snapped. 

            Khellendros's eyes flashed open, and followed the woman wind her way up to his massive frame. 

            Sango was moving faster than she ever had before. The dragon's eyes flashed golden, but she was already well away from the stream of lightning bolts that struck down. Her laugh rose to a crescendo, and with a mighty swing she hurled the great boomerang at the great beast and drew her Katana. With a mighty leap she was on the great scaly haunch, and then traveling up the dragon's spine like a beast. The boomerang was knocked savagely aside by one of the dragon's enormous claws, but Sango was already making herself a much bigger threat. Already up to the beasts neck, she savagely thrust the blade in-between two scales, and thrust deep downward. The dragon hissed in pain as a tiny pinprick burned the back of its neck. IT arced its head around, and glared at the annoying speak. 

            Sango pulled the blade out, and was moving again, running back down between the massive wings, and lashed out at the leathery skin, slashing the wing savagely. 

            This got considerably more than a hiss from the dragon. This brought on a full blown roar of pain. The beast's eyes narrowed and lightning arced down its back just a Sango leapt high into the air and back flipped away from the menace. 

            The dragon, though, didn't stop. Its eyes now glowed a constant, bright gold, and Sango could feel her hair sticking on end, and there was some sort of immense power going though her body. The ground underneath her, she saw in horror, suddenly shifted. The sand began to grind against itself, and the earth began to tear apart. Lighting was flickering all over now, touching down, and blowing huge craters in the spotless white desert. 

            Sango came down lightly on the spinning whirlpool of rock and sand, and leapt just as soon as her feet grazed the churning earth. 

            The great dragon's tail swung down in a deadly arc, but Sango was already practically on the other side of the dragon, leaping back over the azure scales back up to the great beast's neck. The thin blade darted in between two large scales again, and then again. The dragon's eyes narrowed and he twisted his head back, and snapped at Sango savagely. 

            Sango bolted back out of the way, but the slim blade stayed embedded in the dragon's flesh. The dragon opened its claws, and expertly reached back and swatted Sango off its back. 

            The wounded youkai exterminator's eyes widened, and the breath rushed from her lungs in a great gasp. She winced as she hit the churning ground hard, and immediately began to sink. 

            Through the haze of pain, she looked up at the dragon, and her eyes widened in shock. There was another figure dashing up its back! She pulled herself forward out of the sands, and then leapt. 

            But the dragon was already there. The huge, clawed hand came crashing down on her lithe form, sending her crashing to the ground. This time, however, she bounced strait back up, and hovered in midair for the two minimum seconds before falling back down. 

            In those two seconds, two things happened. 

            First, the dragon breathed in a deep heavy breath, and set out a huge bolt of lightning, erupting from his mouth like gout of flame from hell's gates. She was on the barest, outside edge of the bolt, but even then, all the air went from her lungs. 

            Pain. So much pain. She had never felt anything like this before. The pure electricity pulsed through her, enveloping her in pure, white heat. Her vision started to cloud, and every muscle in her body was twitching violently. 

            The second, was that through the light of the pure, white bolt, was that she could clearly make out the figure on the dragon's head. 

            He was wearing purple and blue robes, normally those worn by a monk. His face was lean and handsome, and his face was set and determined. In his left hand, was a thin link of prayer beads. His right hand was clenched tight into a fist, and thrust directly between the dragon's eyes. 

            "Houshi…" Sango breathed through the pain. Miroku's right hand opened, and Sango's world went black. 


	37. Tiamet

            Okay, sorry about the shortness in last chapter, but this more than make up for it! Anywho, as for why Sango was laughing insanely (Some people asked me that) well… she sort of snapped. She went of into super-magic-crazy land for a little while. Anywho, enjoy. 

**

InuYasha sighed, seeming quite unsurprised at the great pillars of fire that sprung from the girl's hands. "Let me guess…" He sighed. "We have to fight you, and if we win, then we get the directions to Vadise, but if we lose, we suffer a horrible painful death… Right?"

            The girl's pillars of fire seemed to deflate, and then extinguish. She crossed her arms, and pouted. "You take all the fun out of it!" She whined. 

            "Aren't you supposed to give us some fancy introduction?" InuYasha prompted. Kagome was suddenly struck at how his voice sounded. IT was almost like the old days, and then he did something he hadn't done in a while. His mouth turned upward, and Tetsusaiga came out, resting evenly on his shoulder, and one of his fangs poked out of his mouth. I t was his cocky grin! He hadn't done one in a long time. Kagome sighed slightly. InuYasha had been acting decidedly Un-InuYasha-ish these last few days. It was good to see that gin and hear the arrogant voice again. 

            The little girl stuck her tongue out at him. "You're mean!" She declared loudly. "No introduction for you!" 

            InuYasha sighed "Suit yourself." He said, and promptly punched her back down into the molten rock. 

            InuYasha smugly stepped back two steps, and the girl obligingly exploded from the lava in gout of flames and embers. Her eyes were glowing, and her lips were pulled back in a snarl.  "You dare to-" Suddenly she stopped, and thought for a moment. "Wait a second." She said, still thinking. She looked peevishly up at InuYasha, and snapped her fingers. The pillars of flame extinguished, and the flashy magic faded. "I said you get no introduction." She said dangerously. "And I meant it." 

            InuYasha's grin, if possible, got even cockier. "Come on!" He said, almost yawning. "I'm waiting. I ain't got all day, and I need to find Vadise soon."

            The girl sighed. "Fine." She said, and held out a hand. A wickedly curved sword appeared in her hand. "Let's get to it." 

InuYasha gently let Kagome to the floor. His eyes narrowed, and smoothly, he launched himself at the little girl. 

~~

            Sango moaned. Her entire body felt like there were little needles pricked through it. She very slowly tried to open her eyes… that was not a good idea. Light pierced through her pupil, and seared into her retina. She didn't scream… but only because it hurt to move her vocal chords. What had happened? There was the flash of light… the lighting. How was she still alive?

            Someone was with her. She could hear whoever it was moving around. She felt a gentle hand guide her head up so that she faced the sky. There was a cool, slightly gritty liquid poured on her slightly open lips. She felt the dirty water on her tongue, and she moaned again, swallowing slightly. 

            After a short while the gentle flow stopped, and the gentle hand on her cheek left. 

            She inhaled slightly, and managed to croak out "Thank you." 

            The footsteps stopped for a moment, then resumed. She could make out a slight scraping, and then a ripping sound. 

            Suddenly, whatever was covering her (Odd she hadn't even noticed it before,) was pulled back, and she felt herself slowly lifted forward. Slowly, cloths strips were wrapped around her midriff, and then she was set back down. Dimly, she was aware that whoever was taking care of her was seeing her without anything on, but at this point she really didn't care. Tenderly, the blanket was replaced, and the person sat down next to her, holding her hand gently. 

~~

            InuYasha swung Tetsusaiga savagely overhand at the girl, slashing the air where she had been just a moment before. However, she was already beside him, and the thin, curving sword slashed in, parting his robe smoothly, and biting into his side. 

            The hanyou groaned in pain, and quickly slashed across in an attempt to hit the girl. She gingerly ducked below it, and nicked his shoulder.

            InuYasha came down gingerly on the other side of the pool, and raised Tetsusaiga in a defensive pose. The girl laughed, and the sword reformed into two daggers in her hands. She flew forward at lighting speed, and started reigning blows down on the struggling hanyou. 

            _Damn! She was fast! A slash at his feet, then a thrust at his head, followed by an underhand swing at his knees. How could he dodge all the blows? He winced as a bloody slash was drawn across his cheek, and then his robe split open even more as another gash appeared at his other side. She was too fast!_

            Suddenly it clicked. He jumped away, and slammed Tetsusaiga into the ground. 

            The girl grinned as the sword morphed back into its little old beat up Katana form. InuYasha grinned back, and drew the now very light blade out of the ground. 

~~

            Sango swallowed a bit more water when it was fed to her this time, and even a little bit of meat. It was odd, and stringy, and had a very… _odd flavor… but she ate it anyway. Everything tastes like chicken when you're hungry enough. _

            She nodded her thankfulness to her rescuer again, and closed her eyes. A firm, gentle hand clasped hers again, and Sango drifted off to sleep.

~~  
            The girl cracked a smile at the beat up old blade, then started a full blown laugh, pointing at the little blade. The laugh lasted right up until InuYasha somehow managed to sprint up to her, and bring it down on the back of her neck as hard as he possibly could. 

            There was a sickening little crack, and the girl fell to the ground, panting in pain. Slowly, she got to her feet. InuYasha noticed with some satisfaction, that her human guise was starting to fade. Her eyes were now just pure red, without any Iris or Pupil or anything. Around her joints and the sides of her face, her skin was slightly scaly, and her fingers now ended in claws. She growled slightly, and her eyes narrowed. 

            "That was a mistake." She remarked. Small horns were starting to poke out of the nest of crimson hair on her head. "I correct mistakes." 

            Suddenly, she shot forward, moving even aster, and lashed out with her claws, tracing miniature lines of fire in the air. 

            InuYasha grinned slightly, and quickly blocked the blows with nice, smooth strokes, and then began to hack back, using wide, long, but incredibly swift strokes. InuYasha still used the weapon like a club, but this one was less sharp, and much, much faster. 

             The girl winced every time she blocked a blow, and finally retreated back to the center of the lava pool. She crossed her legs, and stuck her tongue out at him. Obligingly, a long stream of the molten rock lanced out strait out at the hanyou. 

            He yelled in surprise, and blocked the blow clumsily, bringing Tetsusaiga back into its large form. 

            The girl grinned slightly, and suddenly about ten more streams lanced out, and began striking savagely at the hanyou, lashing out with stream after stream. 

            Kagome watched in horror as the hanyou did his best to defend himself, and she was totally helpless! If only she had a bow! Kagome bunched the blanket around herself, and glared at the odd dragon girl. Oddly enough, she seemed to be cooler under the blanket than out… which was a blessing in this intense heat. 

            The girl scowled as InuYasha barely dodged the last lance of boiling rock. HE was moving faster that he was a moment ago. The stupid hanyou wasn't making this any fun! How was she supposed to get any enjoyment out of this if he dodged all her attacks. Obviously, she could simply stop him dead, but that just felt like cheating! It wasn't fun that way either. She sighed, then got an idea. Her gaze shifted to Kagome. 

            Kagome "Eep"ed as their eyes met, and she slowly started to back away. InuYasha saw the look on the girls face too late, and already started a dash towards Kagome. But it was to late. The miko threw herself to the ground, desperately, and was then enveloped by a pillar of fire. 

            InuYasha stopped dead in his tracks as the fire pillar swirled. Slowly, his eyes shifted over to the girl. The girl, however, paid him no mind. She seemed preoccupied. 

            The fire cleared, leaving only a charred lump. InuYasha glanced at the charred lump in shock. They had come all this way, and now-

            Kagome stood up, still hugging the quilt around her. InuYasha and the girl blinked in unison. Neither Kagome nor the quilt had any scratched on them.

            InuYasha stepped forward, grabbing Kagome out of the way. Two seconds later, the fiery dragon girl dashed forward, enveloped in flames, and picked up the quilt. She scowled at the piece of knitting, and stalked over to the lava pool. She dipped the quilt in, then back out. It was fine. She dipped it in again, and out again. Not a scratch. In a third time, then out yet again. It steamed slightly. 

            The dragon looked over at pair, and scowled. "That's CHEATING!" She yelled, pointing at the quilt. 

            "That's enough, Tiamet!" Said a familiar voice. All three combatants looked up to see Aaron, sitting on top of a rock, laughing slightly. The dragon rolled its eyes, and slapped a clawed hand to her face. 

            "Aaron!" She yelled. "I called you yesterday! What the hell took you so long?" 

            Aaron grinned, and jumped down, landing neatly in front of Kagome and InuYasha. "This is my master, Tiamet." He explained. "Sorry about the whole attacking thing, but she gets sort of bored." He thought for a moment. "I don't think she would have killed you…" 

            Kagome did not think he sounded sure of this.

            Taimet scowled as she stalked up to her Dragoon. "This is yours, I take it." She hissed, thrusting the quilt in front of his face. 

            "Kitty's, actually." He said smoothly, still smiling. "She can be tricky." 

            Tiamet nodded. "Speaking of that girl, Khellendros has been killed." She said. For once, she seemed serious. 

            Aaron tensed up, and his smile faded only slightly. 

            InuYasha and Kagome exchanged confused glances. "Umm." The miko voiced. "What's going on?" She asked. 

            Aaron sighed, and turned to Tiamet. "Can I?" He asked. 

            Tiamet shrugged, and nodded. Aaron, smiled, and turned to them. "Welcome to Dragon Culture 101" He said in the voice of someone off an infomercial… which was fairly impressive given that they hadn't been invented yet. 

            "First of all, you all know about dragons. They're big and powerful, and you just want to avoid them in general." 

            "Hey!" Tiamet said. She hit him savagely on the head. "We're nice." 

            "You've just been contradicted." Aaron said, indicating the bump on his head. Tiamet grumbled slightly. "AS I was saying, each dragon like to have a knight." He said. "Or as they like to call them, Dragoons. I am Tiamet's Dragoon." He shrugged. "There used to be lots of us, but they sort of faded out of style a little while ago. Kitty, whom you have met, belongs to a dragon named Khellendros." He sighed. "there are a few others, but mostly, it's just me, Kitty, and that new guy of Atma's." He snapped his fingers, looking for the name. 

            "Kohaku." Tiamet supplied. 

            "Kohaku!" Aaron agreed, nodding. 

            Kagome and InuYasha exchanged looks. "Kohaku… as in a young youkai exterminator." Kagome probed. "Short, scruffy topknot. Brown and black armor?" 

            Aaron nodded. "That's funny. Kirara said that you guys knew him." Suddenly his eyes opened wide, and his hand slapped across his mouth. 

            "Kirara?" Demanded InuYasha, Kagome, and Tiamet at the same time. 

            "Ehe!" Laughed Aaron nervously. "Just forget I said that."

            Tiamet glared at him. "What are you doing hanging around Kirara?" She demanded. 

            Aaron started to sweat. 

            InuYasha glared at Tiamet. "And how do you know about Kirara?" HE asked. 

            Tiamet pouted. "She hangs out with Vadise a lot. For a while, we thought she might have been Vadise's dragoon, but apparently not. I guess their just old friends."

            Kagome and InuYasha exchanged confused glances a third time. 

            "I can tell you about that later!" Said Aaron hastily. "But now you have to save Kagome." 

            "What about Khellendros?" Kagome asked, still curious. 

            "Ah, right!" Aaron said snapping. "Well, Kitty is Khellendros's dragoon, and Khellendros just died." He said. 

            Kagome and InuYasha Gave him expectant looks. "Yes?" InuYasha finally prompted. 

            Aaron sighed. "Well, it's considered a great dishonor for a dragoon to outlive his or her master. If that happens, then the dragoon must seek out the dragon's killers, kill them, then kill herself." He said rather glumly. 

            "Oh." Said Kagome quietly. 

~~

            Sango awoke again to her wound being rewrapped. She moaned slightly, and struggled to get up. "Who are you?" She managed to ask. 

            There was a silence, then a voice broke the silence. "I can't tell you that." Said a masculine voice. One that she recognized. "If I did you'd slap me to death." 

            Her lips pursed, and she scowled. "You're lucky I can't move my arms, houshi-sama." 

There was another silence. "Are you sure you want to tell me that?" Miroku asked jokingly. Her gently leaned her back down, and restored the cover (His outer robe) to it's rightful place. 

HE slowly stood up, and walked over to the miniature well he had dug in the sand. The water was dirty and gritty, but it was still water. He scooped some up in his hands, and carefully brought it over to Sango. "Can you drink?" He asked. 

Sango nodded slightly, and opened her mouth. "Miroku carefully drizzled the water past her lips, and then shook off his hands. He couldn't help but notice that she had very nice lips… and a very nice face. 

Miroku looked down at her. It was amazing that he could still think that. The dragon had left it's mark. Her hair was mostly burnt off, leaving it shorter even than his. Her face and shoulder's were burnt very badly. Horrible blisters ran on her cheeks, and shoulders. And although she was covered, the rest of her body bore the marks of battle as well. Miroku had a strong constitution, but the wound on her side, where she had been closest to the bolt, even made him feel dizzy. Miroku looked sadly down at Sango. She would definitely be scarred. He was amazed that she still had eyesight. He caught her looking around every once in a while… but the light probably hurt her eyes.

The monk clasped her hand gingerly, and gently rubbed the back of it comfortingly. "We'll get you fixed up." He murmured. "Don't you worry."

Sango opened her eyes slightly, and looked strait at him. Miroku noticed that one was now different that the other. Her left eye was normal, but her right now seemed to have no pupil at all. Was she half blind? 

Sango smiled at the monk, and clasped his hand back. "Arigato… houshi-sama." She said. 

Miroku nodded in acknowledgement. There was a suddenly skidding in the sand, and he turned around quickly. 

Standing on top of one of the dunes, was an odd youkai. She was black furred, and dressed in a bright Kimono. She was giving them an odd, horrified stare. 

Miroku sighed, and stood up, Massaging life back into his right hand. The dragon had been immense, and the wind tunnel had been badly split. It couldn't take much more use. Her gingerly picked up his broken monks staff, and dusted off his tattered robe.

The youkai looked down at him. "I am Rinpu Chuan." She said. "Also known as Kitty." She looked around. "Was it you who slew Khellendros?" 

Miroku knew It would be a very bad Idea to lie. He nodded. 

Kitty sighed. "I'm sorry." She said. "But as is my duty, you're life is forfeit, as is mine." She intoned this last part in an ancient archaic voice. Then she looked up. "I met InuYasha and Kagome." She said. "They are fine, and well on their way to Vadise." 

Miroku nodded again, keeping his face emotionless. 

"I am once again truly sorry." She said, shaking her head. "But I must kill you." 

Another nod, and Miroku raised his staff. 

Kitty nodded. "Honestly, I didn't like Khellendros." She said, holding up her claws. "But I can't give you any leeway." She sighed, and dashed forward, toward the silently waiting monk. 

**

            THERE! ARE YOU HAPPY YOU VULTURES! 5 PAGES! ALL FOR YOU! 2,838 WORDS! 

            Hehe. This is the length I want to make most of my chapters, but I just can't type very fast. It took me almost 2 hours to type this. It's pathetic isn't it. Hehe. Anywho, have a great summer, And I'll try to get another one up Sunday or Monday. Toodles. 


	38. Atma again

            InuYasha crossed his arms. "And so… Kitty has to kill those responsible, and then commit suicide… is that it?" 

            Aaron nodded glumly. "This could be a problem." He noted.

            InuYasha sighed. "Honestly, why don't you go to her, and protect her?" InuYasha asked, as if it was obvious. "If you love someone you should protect them."

            Aaron gave him an odd look. "Well… it's not really that simple." HE said, rubbing the back of his head. "If I stop her, then she has to kill me, too." He sighed. "The only one who can countermand the tradition is a… dragon… of greater… status… than Khellendros." His gaze slowly shifted to the little dragon girl behind him, and his eyes narrowed. 

            Tiamet saw his smile. "Oh no!" She said, waving her hands. "I don't do that sort of thing. I'd expect you to do the same thing for me." She crossed her arms, and shrugged. Besides… She's up against that demon hunter and her pet monk. I doubt she stands a chance."

            Kagome's eyes bulged. "Miroku and Sango?" She gasped. "She's going after Miroku and Sango?" She demanded. 

~~

            Miroku herd his staff at the ready, and easily deflected the first two slashes… but she was very fast. Already Kitty was sweeping around with a low round house, while still going after his face with her claws. 

            Miroku slammed his staff to the ground on her foot, and grabbed her arms. They grappled for a bit, and then the youkai finally managed to twist her around, and drive his knee into her back, hard. 

            Kitty screamed in pain and fell over, rolling in the sand to avoid the monk's lethal staff.

            She got up, and flashed her claws again, growling. 

~~

            "So… she's going to try to kill Miroku and Sango." InuYasha said. Trying to assimilate all this. 

            "Yep." Tiamet said. "However, something tells me that their going to win." 

            Aaron looked very peeved. 

            "But…"  Kagome said. "Isn't Kitty you're girlfriend?" Kagome asked.

            Aaron slapped his face. "Kitty is my _mate." He said. "However, the duty of a dragoon overlaps everything, even personal feelings." HE did not seem happy about this. _

            Kagome scowled. "Well that's dumb." She said, and turned to Tiamet. "Isn't there anything you can do?" She asked. 

            Tiamet grimaced. "My hands are tied." She said. "I can't do anything without Atma's permission." 

            That name suddenly set InuYasha on edge. "Atma…" He growled. "Good luck getting anything to help us from her."

            A look of confusion crossed Tiamet's face, and she looked at Aaron. "But… didn't I lend you to Atma. I thought she was using you right now…" She said. 

            Aaron's eyes widened in panic and he quickly held a finger to his mouth… but InuYasha had already heard. 

            "What was that?" HE growled, stalking towards the dragoon. "You're working for _her?" There was no question as to who "_her" _was. _

            Aaron held up his hands defensively. "Well…" HE said. "Yes… sort of?"

            InuYasha glowered at him. "Then why are you helping us?" He demanded. 

            Aaron thought for a moment, then looked up. "Well… I am not at liberty to divulge said information due to religious circumstances." He said smartly. 

            InuYasha growled, and pulled out Tetsusaiga. 

            Tiamet sighed, and shook her head. This was going to take some explaining. 

~~

            Miroku jumped out of the way again. His eyes focused on the bundle lying on the sand that was Sango. He had to lead this girl away from Sango. IF he could only use his wind tunnel… but he didn't trust it. HE had been cut to badly trying to get Khellendros, even a little use would make the thing considerably worse. 

            Skillfully, he blocked one blow with his staff, and flashed a foot under the youkai, knocking her off her feet. 

            The girl gasped as she hit the ground, and  Miroku suddenly stood over her. Her raised his staff, and brought the sharp tip down as hard as her could. 

~~

            Aaron back up nervously against a rock, gingerly attempting to not get killed by the peeved hanyou. "Now listen." HE said. "Things aren't always as they seem…" He began to sweat. 

            InuYasha leaned down close to his face. "Well, they better seem a lot better, really quick, or else." He threatened. 

            Aaron opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, but no words came out. 

            InuYasha scowled at him down Tetsusaiga's long blade. 

            Behind them, Tiamet leaned down to Kagome, and handed her the quilt back. "Men." She said  in an exasperated voice. "What are we going to do with them?" She asked. 

            Kagome thought for a moment, then uttered a few choice words. These words happened to be: "Sit, Sit, Sit," But that was beside the point. 

            InuYasha crashed to the ground. Tiamet floated over him. "Listen." She said nonchalantly. "I honestly don't know what Atma did to you to make you hate her so much, but I can guarantee you that it's not what it seems. Everything she does has some sort of sneaky little motive."

            "She tried to kill Kagome." He said dangerously, his hand still on Tetsusaiga. 

            Tiamet stared at him,  then laughed. She looked down at him again. "Listen, little hanyou." She hissed. "Atma doesn't 'try' to kill anyone. If she wants someone dead, they die. Quickly. Without question." She shook her head. "If you met with her, and Kagome all of you are still alive, you can be positive that she didn't want you dead. She wants you alive for something or other, so just accept that. She is NOT you're enemy."

            InuYasha's eyes narrowed, and he slowly got to his feet. "Well, then why did she attack us?" He demanded. 

~~

            There was a thud as the staff halted suddenly. Miroku let go of the staff. It remained strait in the air. 

            Slowly, he kneeled down, and put his hands together in silent prayer. Then, his eyes opened, then widened. The youkai's eyes starred back at him… very much alive. 

            His eyes traced down to the staff. It was balanced perfectly on an alabaster finger. The finger was attached to a perfectly sculpted hand. The hand led into a baggy, sky blue, silken sleeve. The sleeve led up to a shoulder plate. The plate was jet black, with gold trim. IT was attached to a breastplate. The breastplate covered a person, along with a royal blue shirt and leggings, a skirt of the same black plate mail, and a long, frayed royal purple cape. Attached to that body was a head. And the head looked very familiar. It was feminine, and had a cocky smile on its lips. On the left cheek were tattooed red stripes. Her eyes were fully, jet black, and seemed to radiate a dark aura. Her hair was a deep fiery crimson, and on her forehead and above each of her elven ears, were graceful horns of the purest ivory. Arcing gracefully from her back was a pair of  black, scaled wings, and a long dragon tail hung from underneath the cape. 

            Atma looked strait at him, smiled a toothy smile, and waved with her other hand. 

~~

            InuYasha growled. "What do you mean you can't tell me?" He demanded. 

            Tiamet sat primly on a rock. "I can't tell you." She repeated. "Atma would be very cross with me." 

            InuYasha growled a low, threatening growl. 

            "However!" Tiamet hurried on, "She never told me that I couldn't tell you how to get to Vadise." She said with a grin. 

            InuYasha's growl died, and he stood up, walking back over to Kagome. "I'm listening." He said. 

            Tiamet nodded. "If you'll head strait east, you'll find a glacier." She said. 

            Kagome's eyes closed. "How can there be a glacier when were in the middle of a mountain range of volcanoes?" She asked, taking deeper refuge in the comfort of the blanket. It was a very nice quilt. It kept her warm, but that was it. She was barely even sweating. 

            Tiamet gave her a smile, and wiggled her fingers in a mystic way. "Maaaagiiiiic" She said, stretching the word ridiculously. 

            Kagome nodded. IT made sense. After all, if there was a range of volcanoes in the middle of a normal forest, then why not a glacier? 

            "Anyhow!" She continued. "You go past that, and then you'll run into a tropical forest hidden deep in a valley. That's where Vadise lives."

            InuYasha nodded, half in acknowledgment, and half gratefully. 

            Aaron scowled and scratched the back of his head. "But what about Kitty and the others?" He asked. 

            Tiamet smiled at him. "A higher ranking dragon just interfered." She said with satisfaction. 

            Aaron gasped. "You mean… her?"

            Tiamet nodded happily. 

            Aaron smiled at InuYasha and Kagome. "I told you that Atma wasn't your enemy." 

~~

            Miroku was in slight shock, but Kitty seemed to be in some state beyond that. 

            Miroku slowly backed away from the dragon, getting ready to use his wind tunnel one last time. 

            Atma smiled at him, and the prayer beads on his had suddenly constricted painfully around his arm, cutting off the circulation. 

            She smiled sweetly at him, then turned to Kitty. "Alright now, little missy!" She commanded, snapping her fingers. "On you're feet now!" The voice seemed harmless, but Miroku could sense the power in it. Kitty had been lying prone on the sand, but suddenly space seemed to twist itself around her, and she fell, landing firmly on her feet. 

            Atma smiled pleasantly at her. "Good job." She said encouragingly. 

            Kitty seemed to snap out of her shock, and look back up at Atma. "Please, let me fight." She said. "I must avenge khellendros." 

            Atma seemed to think for a moment. "Very well." She said, nodding. "Let us assume that you will continue to hunt them down until you kill them. Will you do this?" 

            Kitty nodded. 

            Atma smiled pleasantly. "Very well then, let us assume that you will not let her kill you." She said to Miroku. "Is this true as well." 

            Miroku felt himself forced to nod. 

            Atma nodded. "Therefore logically, you will be chasing each other forever, then. Is this a logical conclusion?" 

            Miroku knew it was not, but he felt himself nodding anyway. 

            Atma nodded. "Therefore, you can just as easily leave each other alone, and the result will be the same, right?" 

            Miroku thought about it a moment. The way she said it, it made perfect sense, despite the fact that he knew it was wrong. He  nodded anyway. 

            Atma smiled. "Great." She clapped her hands, and smiled. Then we can get on with it!" 

            Miroku thought for a moment. "Get on with what?" He asked carefully, still wary of the untrustworthy dragon. 

            She smiled at him. "Khellendros beat up you're little sweetie-pie pretty good, didn't he?" She asked. "Let's go see what we can do about it." She walked off in the general direction of Sango. 

            Miroku blinked, and turned to Kitty. "Did that make any sense to you?" He asked. 

            Kitty shrugged. "It did at the time." She said. "I can't even remember what she said now." 

            Miroku nodded, then tried to remember himself… and found that he couldn't. IT was all gray fuzz, and the feeling that everything had been resolved. 

            Kitty shrugged. "Oh, well!" She said cheerfully, and stuck out her hand. "Sorry we couldn't have met on better circumstances." She said. "I'm kitty, formerly Khellendros's dragoon." 

            Miroku nodded slightly now thoroughly confused. 

            Kitty's eyes narrowed, and she smiled at him. "But to be honest, I hated the arrogant bastard, and I think all the other dragons did too." She laughed. "Atma probably feels grateful you for getting rid of him!" 

            Miroku blinked, and cocked his head. 

            Kitty shrugged. "Oh well." She said, and followed Atma. "Let's go see how Sango is doing." 

            Miroku futilely tried one more time to find out what was happening, and hook his head again. Finally giving up, he turned around and followed the Dragon and the former Dragoon back to his "Sweetie-pie."

**

            HEHE! I forgot how fun it was to write for Atma. I think I have now firmly established that she is… not really crazy, but very much beyond human comprehension. And yes, the mind trick she pulled did in fact come from hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, which is owned by Douglas Adams, so don't sue me.


	39. Fighting Yourself

            WHOO! Okay, sorry for the delay, but I haven't been able to get to a computer lately. 

            Now, in response to my reviews, most are still positive, great job, but some are more critical. 

            Let me be clear. I _LIKE_ critical reviews. They help me in my writing. So, if you think I'm doing something wrong, then please let me know in a polite, nice manner, and it'll help me write better. 

            Now, Just to those who told me some things: 

            Kirara talking. I meant to put in a little explanation for that, but I ended up leaving it out, because I couldn't integrate it with the story well, and it sort of interrupted things. I'll try to throw that in later, when it works better. 

            Next, Kagome. People remarked that she seems unusually well for someone who gonna die in less than a week. Perfectly valid statement, that. I thought I was doing a good job making her seem hurt, but looking back, I see that I really didn't do that good of a job doing that. I'll try and correct this in this chapter, and here on out. 

            Now, another comment, is that my story has many contradictions… for instance, InuTaisho having two graves, and so on. This has a multitude of causes. One, is because of my own ignorance. I have seen only really half the series (maybe 10 or fifteen episodes past where the #&^!* Adult Swim stops), and the first movie, so I really don't know all that much about it.  Another reason is my own forgetfulness. And the third is plot stuff that will be explained in the future. 

            Just for future reference, I am planning on writing a series of fics, this being the first. There will probably be about four, and once I am done, I'm gonna go back, and Edit them again, once I've had all the experience, and fix the flaws. So, please, tell me if you see anything that is in error, and thank you to all who have. 

            And one last thing, to address a question, a Wyrm, is simply a status. A dragon would be called a "Wyrm" The same way one would be called a "Lord," or a "Duke," or a "Baron." 

            I hope that clears up everything. There will be a better explanation about the dragon status system in this next chapter, so hold tight, and here we go!

**

            InuYasha walked slowly along, drowning in his own anxieties. Kagome was definitely getting worse. And what really annoyed him, was that she wouldn't tell him. Whenever he asked, she always said that she was fine, that it was just a little headache. But the hanyou wasn't blind. She was spending more of her time sleeping in the quilt, and even someone with human vision could see the sweat on her brow, and pain in her face. But the damn girl wouldn't tell him what was wrong, so there was no way he could even help her! 

            InuYasha grimaced, and quickened his pace. The only hope for the stubborn girl was to get her to Vadise as fast as possible, and pray that she could help the miko. 

            There was a soft moan from behind him, and he shifted a worrying glance back at Kagome. She had fallen asleep again, and was twisting uncomfortably in sleep. 

            The hanyou growled angrily. She didn't deserve this! Why did that damn Atma have to attack them. What the hell did she want? InuYasha had been puzzling over the issue up until he had seen the glacier. 

            He had assumed that the glacier would have been downhill! After all, they were in the mountains. However, the massive hill of ice that rose above him contradicted his previous thoughts. There was a small, slippery path up the great mountain, and InuYasha, deciding to use discretion for one, prudently decided to take the easy path. 

            However, the path soon would not be easy. IT wouldn't be long before the started running into snow, and then things would get really bed. There wouldn't be much of a Kagome left to save if they fell. 

            InuYasha cast his gaze up the titanic mountain, and sighed. Quickening his pace again, he began to trudge determinedly onward. Slowly, in an effort to get away from the biting cold, his mind began to wander. 

~~

            Sango was jolted awake by a sudden grip on her jaw. It wasn't a hard grip, but it definitely wasn't Miroku's. For starters, this grip had claws. 

            For once, Sango found herself helpless. It hurt to open her eyes, and she didn't have the strength to move. Sango wasn't the kind of person to really fear anything, but she almost immediately found herself afraid of this unknown assailant. 

            There was a whistle, and then a "Tsk, tsk, tsk." The hand withdrew from her face. "Damn!" A feminine voice swore from over her. "You really got burnt, didn't you?" 

            Sango grew even more nervous. There was something familiar about the voice that she didn't like. Where was Miroku? What had this girl done with him?

            Almost immediately, Sango's mind took over. Cool calculating began to formulate a plan. 

            All her concentration, however, was lost when the blanket that had covered her was suddenly pulled back. 

            There was a sharp intake of breath, and then the voice came again. "Damn! That guy really did a number on ya, huh?" The hand returned, this time at her side, and began to peel off the bandages. Once they were off, there was a sound. Someone of to her left sounded like they were choking. "OW!" The voice remarked. "And are you even conscious girl?" The voice asked. 

            Sango hurled caution to the wind. Whoever these people were, it didn't seem like they were a threat right now. She nodded slightly. 

            "Good." The voice said. "Now, listen. Can you feel it when I do this?" 

            Sango didn't feel a thing, so she shook her head. 

            There was another sharp intake of breath. "That's not good." The voice remarked. "This could be serious. Listen dear, I need you to open your eyes, just a little."                        

            Sango nodded slightly, and attempted to open her heavy lids. The slitted, then opened a crack. Her right Eye burned as the light pierced into it, but her left felt nothing. Distantly, and blurrily, she could make out a vaguely human shape standing over her. 

            The voice was silent for a moment, then the dim shape nodded. "Well." She said, in a very "Bad news" Sort of voice. "You're blind in you're left eye, and you can barely see with you're right." She said finally. 

            Sango breathed in sharply in response, and she could swear that she heard another sharp intake from her right. 

            "Also, you've got burns all over you're body, and a very bad one on you're side." Sango nodded. "The nerves there are almost beyond repair, but I'll see what I can do. There will definitely be scars, though. As for the rest of you, you've got a broken leg, and minor burns all over you're body." Sango grimaced.  "However, I definitely will be able to do something about them."

            Sango nodded again, then opened her mouth. "Where's the monk?" She asked. 

            "About three feet away from you're right hand." The voice said. "He's been taking very good care of you, but it's time to let someone like me take over." 

            Sango turned her head slowly, and saw another shape sitting to her right.  Then she turned her head back. "Who're you." She asked with another deep breath. 

            The voice chuckled. "Well, let's leave that till after the healing." 

            For the fist time, Miroku spoke. "What are you going to do? I am a monk, I can help you in whatever chants you need." 

            The voice chuckled again. "Houshi," The voice said. "I am about to do things that you can't even dream of." Then the voice paused thoughtfully. "However, you could hold her hand." The blurry shape nodded. "Yes. She'll need something to hold onto for comfort." 

            There was a light caress on her cheek, then the voice said, in a sweet comforting manner: "You'll thank me for this later, but as of now, this is going to hurt like all Hell." 

~~

            Shippo awoke slowly, and shook himself off. HE was covered in sand, and the sun was beating down on him cruelly. What had happened? He remembered seeing Sango start laughing at the dragon, and then she charged him. Then, there was lightning everywhere, and everything went black. 

            Shippo hopped to his little, fox-like feet, and looked around. "Sango?" He called, beginning to get worried. "Miroku?" HE cried, a little more desperately this time. "Anybody?"   
            His eyes widened in panic, and he suddenly whirled in a circle, scouring the desert for any signs of life. Further to the east, he saw a dark line on the horizon, and making a flash decision, began to head towards that. 

~~

            Why the hell am I doing this? InuYasha thought to himself. It was a question that had been bugging him since Shinjuku. After all, Kagome was just a simple girl. She didn't really _mean _ anything to him, did she? She was useful, after all. She could see Shikon jewels. Sure InuYasha needed her, but, wasn't that all she was here fore. 

            The little logical part in his brain finally snapped, and got angry. 

_            'Are you a total idiot' it asked. 'Honestly, don't you get it' _

 InuYasha growled. 'Shut up!' he thought savagely. 'What do you know?'

            _'More, apparently than the rest of your brain knows!'_

'Well, leave me alone!' 

            _'Honestly, just admit it! You've changed!'_

'Nope!' Thought InuYasha stubbornly. 'Not a bit!

            _'Really?'  Logic said. __'What about a few days ago. Kagome sensed a jewel shard, not only did you turn it down, but you tried to avoid it!'_

'Well, we can get it later!' Thought InuYasha, still rather stubbornly. 'If Kagome dies, then I get a net loss. I can't find any more jewel shards.'

            _'Ah!' the voice said accusingly. __'You still think that's the only reason? Think about it! If Kagome dies, then Kikyo gets her soul back. And don't pretend you don't know that. It's on you're mind constantly! Why then, are you doing this? You love Kikyo, don't you? Why are you keeping her soul from her?'_

InuYasha growled. It was hard arguing with an opponent who knew you're every thought. 

            _'So why, InuYasha? You're betraying Kikyo for this little whelp of a girl. I know why! It's plain as day! And that means you know too!'_

"Shut up!" InuYasha said, out loud. 

            "InuYasha?" Kagome asked drearily from over his shoulder, pain clear in her voice. "Who are you talking to?"

            InuYasha's eyes narrowed, and he looked over the glacier. It was a long way down… and the voice was right. If Kagome died, then Kikyo would get her soul back. It would be very easy to simply trip, and accidentally drop the girl… 

            InuYasha's heat suddenly constricted at the thought, causing him to wince. It hadn't even been a serious consideration… just a thought! So why the hell did he shudder to simply think about it? The little logic section of his brain knew, but the little bastard was silent. 

            "No-one." He said roughly. "How are you feeling?" 

            "I'm fine." Kagome said. "Just a little headache." 

            InuYasha rolled his eyes, and sighed. "Are you cold?" He asked. 

            "No." Kagome said, sinking deeper into the quilt. This, at least, was not a lie. InuYasha could feel the warmth coming from the cloth. And that was exactly why you never turned down a gift from a Shinjuku demon. 

            "Are you sure you're feeling fine?" InuYasha asked desperately, one more time. 

            "Yeah." Kagome said softly, and fell back into a deep sleep, curled up in the depths of the quilt. 

            InuYasha looked at her thoughtfully, quickening his pace lightly. 

            Deep in the recesses of his subconscious, the little logical part snickered. 


	40. Healing

            Miroku sat down gently beside the prone Sango. He looked nervously up at Atma, who simply grinned back. 

            "You aren't going to hurt her, are you?" Miroku asked. His voice held a barely disguised threat. 

            Atma thought for a moment. "Well, honestly, no." She said. "However, the healing process is going to hurt like hell." She grinned at him, in a silly lopsided grin, but her voice was dead serious. "You should hold her hand tight, and no matter how badly she screams, don't interrupt me."

            Miroku scowled at the dragon, and gave her a deadly, suspicious look. "What are you going to do?" 

            Atma shrugged. "Well, I'm going to simply speed up her healing process very quickly." 

            Miroku thought for a while. "How will that hurt?" 

            Atma gave him a knowing look. "You know that pain when someone sets a bone, and then the dull ache that accompanies the weeks of recovery?" She asked. Miroku nodded. "Imagine all that happening in about five to ten minutes." She said. 

            Miroku's eyes widened, and he nodded, slowly. He had had a broken leg before, and it hadn't been pleasant. 

            Atma regarded the horrible burn on the panting youkai hunter's side. The skin and flesh had literally been burned away, and left only a gaping hole in the girl's side. The nerves there were almost beyond repair, and Atma knew that merely playing with time wouldn't help that. She would have to go in directly. 

            Miroku saw her gaze, and asked quietly. "Is there anything you can do for the burn?" 

            Atma sighed. "I'm powerful enough to help." She said. "It's just that I'm not that great with human anatomy." She said rubbing the back of her head. "I can't just go in and start poking around. I need to actually know what I'm doing." She shrugged.

            Miroku looked to the ground. "There's not much you can do then. 

            Atma turned to him and shook her head. "I'm sorry." She said. "She'll live, but there will be a real big scar." 

            Miroku looked up suddenly, a perturbed look on his face. She had made it seem like there was no hope! And here she was a little worried of a scar? The girl had a gaping hole in her side, for crying out loud! Of coarse there would be a scar! 

            He scanned the dragon's face for any sign of mockery, but there was only nervous sincerity. Was she really that apprehensive about a scar?

            Miroku nodded. "I think we can live with a scar." He said carefully. 

            Atma sighed in relief, and walked over to Sango's side again. "Okay, girl." She said sweetly. "Were ready to begin. Brace yourself." 

            Sango smiled up at her. "I've had a sickle stuck three inches into my back before, and been hit by lightning." She managed to get out. "I think I can take a little healing." 

            Atma smiled at her sweetly, and rolled her eyes. "If you insist." She said, sighing. She nodded to Miroku, who sat and grasped Sango's hand. 

            Atma nodded, and closed her eyes. 

            Kitty watched on the sidelines in rapt fascination. Khellendros's magic had been flashy, but very weak, and he was arrogant. This was really the first time she was going to see someone who was good at it perform. She wandered what it would look like. 

            Miroku also watched curiously as the dragon shrugged relaxed, and sat down, and carefully lifted Sango's head into her lap. She crooned soothingly to the girl, and slowly she relaxed. 

            Suddenly, Miroku felt something. It wasn't a feeling of spiritual powers. It wasn't the same as an omen. It was a slight prickling all over his body. The dragon's odd eyes closed. 

            At any moment, Kitty knew, she would start to glow, the weather would grow stormy. She would lift of the ground, and all sorts of other things would happen. 

            She was disappointed. 

            Whatever they had been expecting, it didn't happen. 

            Atma opened her eyes. There was no wind, no glow, no lightning, no nothing. But at the same time, Sango's eyes opened, wide. The youkai slayer began to scream. 

~~

            InuYasha growled in frustration, and shook his head in frustration. His own mind was turning against him. First he would think about Kikyo, then suddenly she would turn into Kagome, and then the thoughts would turn darker, to the light curve of a hip, or how very short he skirt was, or other interesting details of the girls odd uniform (Or lack of it, on some occasions). Then he would shake his head to clear his mind, and then the little logical part would laugh at him. 

            It had happened for the fourth time now, and InuYasha was getting very tired of it. He loved Kikyo, plain and simple! Kagome was a good friend, and dear to him! That was why he was doing this!

            _'You are an Idiot!'  The logical part said. _

            'Shut up!' InuYasha said, proverbially, tying the rebel section of his brain to a chair and gagging it. 

            _'Mmph!' the logical section said from around the gag. _

            InuYasha shoved the chair into a closet, and returned to the thoughts at hand.

            Kagome did mean a lot to him, but that didn't mean that he _loved her, did it? He loved Kagome. Wait!  Kikyo! Kikyo! He loved Kikyo! Not Kagome! _

            _'You just keep telling yourself that!' A voice said from the closet of his mind. _

            'Shut the hell up!' InuYasha roared inside, pushing a mental cupboard in front of the mental closet door. 

            InuYasha's pace on the icy path quickened, and he began putting his feet down so hard that the ice crackled under his feet slightly. 

            InuYasha's teeth gritted, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. He loved Kikyo. That was final! Kikyo was who he loved! Not Kagome! Even if Kagome was really cute. 

            _'And nice!'  The voice supplied from around the closet. _

            And nice. Really… REALLY cute and nice. 

            _'She accepts you for who you are, you know.'  The voice pointed out. __'Not even Kikyo did that. She wouldn't have you unless you were human. Remember?' _

Yes… Kikyo only wanted him as a human. Kagome didn't seem to really care. That was true. 

            _'Yeah. She's a nice girl.'  The voice said, coaxingly._

            Yes. Yes she is. 

            _'You love her!' _

            I… love her? 

            _'Yes!' _

 I love her… 

            _'YES!'  The voice said triumphantly. _

            InuYasha suddenly snapped out of his reverie, and snatched the Annoying little section of brain out of the closet, though the cupboard, and held it up by its throat. 

            'Shut the hell up, Bastard!' InuYasha thought savagely. 

            _'So close! Damn!' _

'I love Kikyo!' InuYasha said threateningly. 'Just drop it!' 

            "Um… InuYasha?" Kagome said sleepily, poking her head out from the blanket. 

            "I said, drop it!" InuYasha growled out loud. 

            "What?" Kagome asked, confused. 

            InuYasha suddenly looked back at Kagome, blushing slightly. "N-nothing." HE stuttered. "Are you doing okay?"

            Kagome smiled at him. "Yeah, fine!" She said. "I feel better, almost." 

            InuYasha looked at Kagome. The smile was false, there were bags under her eyes, she was trembling slightly, and all in all looked terrible. Why wouldn't she just let him help her?

            He growled inwardly, and sighed. "Were getting pretty close to the top." He said. "It shouldn't be long." 

            Kagome nodded. "Good." She said. 

            Silence fell as they both just looked ahead, watching the icy path come and go. Kagome sat in pain in her warm cocoon, and, not being able to go to sleep watched the icy, winter land go steadily by. 

            InuYasha's breath was coming out in ragged, frosty breaths. His eyebrows seemed to be frozen, and the biting air had made his eyes water, and frozen his tears hard to his cheeks. 

            Kagome was suddenly touched, even through the pain raging through her body, that InuYasha had been so faithful. He was doing this all for her! He had certainly changed. He never would have done anything like that when they had first met. She smiled slightly. 

            He might say it was just because she was a jewel detector, but she knew better. He was stuck u, arrogant, impulsive, and could be the most annoying and selfish person she had ever heard of at times! But still… every once in a while… she would get a glimpse of him past his hard, outer shell. He was kind there, and shy, but still strong and noble. She liked what she saw there. If only he showed it a little more often… 

            InuYasha suddenly stopped. Kagome winced as she was thumped against his back. "What's going on?" She asked. 

            InuYasha began to back up very slowly. 

            Kagome looked over his shoulder. "Oh." She said, very softly. 

            Standing there, looking at them with cool interest was a large, white, scaly head. The deep icy blue pools that were its eyes blinked, and the toothy mouth turned upward in an icy, nasty grin. 

~~

            Sango screamed. Her eyes glazed over almost instantly, and her back arched. Her broken leg twisted, and cracked unnaturally, and burns and blisters on her body slowly began to reduce in size. The scream died, and she began to breathe heavily and unnaturally, tears oozing from her eyes. She took a deep breath, then screamed again, a long, pain-filled, bloodcurdling scream. Her hands curled into fists, then unclenched again, and then she curled up, turning on her side, doubling over, screaming whenever breath would allow, and sobbing pitifully when it would not. 

            Miroku clutched her hand tightly, wincing as the youkai slayer tightened a vice like grip on his hand. Slowly, the gap in her side began to close, the skin slowly filling in. Miroku felt an urge to go and lose the meals that he hadn't even had in the last few days. 

            Sango's breath finally gave out, and she lay on the ground, panting, tears running down her cheeks. Then, she savagely began to beat her head against the sand. 

            Miroku's eyes widened, and then he reached down and grabbed her head, holding it down gently but firmly. 

            The wound finished closing, leaving a large, whitish, scar on her side. Slowly, her breathing calmed, her eyes closed, and her body unclenched. 

            Grateful that it was over, Miroku sighed, and let go of the young girl's head. 

            Atma looked up at him, and nodded. Miroku sighed again, and gently replaced his long purple robe over Sango. Slowly, she grasped it, and turned slightly to make herself more comfortable. 

            Atma, chuckled slightly, and put her hands behind her head. "Well!" She said in a cheerful voice. "That went well." 


	41. Huh?

            Shippo was in trouble. He was totally lost, on an ancient land; he had no Idea where his friends were, and now this. 

            He had finally reached the dark line on the horizon… and desperately wished he hadn't. It was cooler here than in the desert… that was for sure. Clouds blocked out the sky, obscuring the sun… and from the looks of the shriveled, dead plants all around him, it had been like this for some time. It was dark here, very dark. The temperature was cooler, but Shippo still found himself wishing he was back in the desert. 

            Everywhere he looked, there was death lying around. There were huge piles of death everywhere! Why would any dragon want this stinking land? Whole skeletons were lying around all over the place! Why would anyone want to live here? 

            Shippo gingerly walked over to a skeleton. It had teeth marks on it. 

            The little kitsune took a deep breath, and slowly turned around, praying that the desert would still be there. There was nothing but wasteland behind him, as far as the eye could see. Shippo grimaced, and turned around again. Still only wasteland. Shippo sighed, and began to walk. 

~~

Sango awoke slowly. There was a dull ache running through her… the kind that comes when you lie in a bed for to long. She slowly struggled to get up, and failed miserably. She slumped back to the sand, lying on her pack, and panting heavily. 

"Well, you're awake!" Said a cheerful feminine voice. 

Her eyes opened slightly, and she could see a girl standing in the sand, looking at her with a big grin. "Hiya!" She said cheerfully. 

Sango's eyes widened. Was that who she thought it was? 

Atma walked firmly over, her wings stretching out, and her tail casually whipping the sand back and forth. "How ya feelin?" She asked amiably. 

Sango blinked at the dragon… Then paused to think. She blinked again. Something was wrong. She blinked again. Something was very wrong. She winked her left eye. Nothing happened. She blinked her right eye. Her world went black. 

"Erm." Atma said, slightly embarrassed as Sango opened her eye again. "You're still half blind." She confessed. "I didn't know my way around the human body well enough to actually help ya there." She said, rubbing the back of her head. "If I made a mistake, then it would sort of be…" She shrugged, and drew a clawed finger across her neck. "Y'know… URK!" She giggled, and shrugged again. "Oh, well!" She said cheerfully. "No harm done eh?" She kneeled down, and brought her face close to the confused youkai exterminators. "How's the rest of the healing going. Any pain?"

Sango's jaw opened. "Umm." She said. 

Atma nodded. "Well, that's to be expected." She gave her a sorrowful look. "Sorry about the scar." She said, pointing to the girl's side. "I did my best."

Numbly, Sango looked down, and saw a long, wide, ugly scar all over her side. She looked back up at Atma, now thoroughly confused. 

Atma still had a wonderfully cheerful look on her face. "But look on the bright side!" She said happily. "At least we can't see you're intestines any more!" 

Sango blinked a few times at her. 

Atma slapped her hand to her forehead. "Oh, but where are my manners!" She said loudly. "Her I am chatting away and you're lying there aching like no tomorrow!" 

She laughed, a deep throaty laugh, and promptly took off her cape. "Here, put this on." She said. "The monk's of looking for some water. Now that you're better, hell probably be more of a perv. Let's get you some clothes." 

Not quite sure what to make of this, the youkai hunter slowly rose to her feet, and dropped the cover, which she could now see was the monk's outer robe. 

"Great!" Atma said, draping a big, deep purple cape over the shorter girl's shoulders, and fastening it with a large, ruby clip. Atma inspected her critically. "I dunno Sango." She said critically. "You probably shouldn't be dressing so gaudily." 

For once Sango found a voice. "But you're the one-"

Atma interrupted her with the swish of her hand. "Don't worry about that!" She said. "I'll fix it up for you!" 

Suddenly, the cape reformed itself around her, pressing in here, out there, getting longer and shorter as was necessary.        Suddenly, she was clad in a baggy purple full body outfit, and it fit her almost perfectly. "Umm… thanks." She said, slightly dumbfounded. 

Atma grinned at her. "No problem." 

Sango nodded slightly… Then she realized who was standing in front of her. 

Atma suddenly found herself grabbed savagely be the neck. "What have you done with Kohaku?" She demanded, bringing Atma very close to her face. Suddenly, their heads collided. 

Both Sango and Atma fell back. Sango landed roughly on her back, but Atma stopped in midair, hovering in mid-fall. She was laughing extremely hard. 

Sango suddenly leaned up, and growled at her. "What's so funny?" She demanded, confused. She hadn't pulled on Atma that hard, had she? 

"You're depth perceptions off!" Atma managed to squeak out between chuckles. 

"What?" 

"You can't tell how far away things are with just one eye." Atma explained patiently. "You rammed me into you're head."

Sango suddenly felt very sheepish, and even more confused. What was going on?

"As for Kohaku," Atma said conversationally, sitting down in midair as if there was an invisible chair there. "I'll explain about him later, when Miroku and Kitty get back."

"Kitty?" Sango asked, suddenly feeling very weary. 

Atma thought for a moment, then nodded. "I think that's her name." She mused. Suddenly she gasped. "You don't think she was lying, do you?" 

Sango gaped at the dragon. "What's wrong with you?" She asked bluntly.

Atma shrugged, and laughed. "I guess that I just look at the world differently from other people." She said calmly. 

Sango blinked slightly, then pointed at the air below Atma. "You don't have a chair." She remarked. 

Atma looked down, and then nodded. The sand obligingly formed a very comfortable looking chair under her. 

She looked back up at Sango, grinned, primly crossed her legs, and nodded at her. "So, how are thing's going?" She asked. 

Sango shook her head. 

~~

            "Umm…" Kagome said nervously. "InuYasha?" 

            The dragon regarded them with mild interest.   
            InuYasha very slowly backed up, taking very slow, firm steps. He was tired, very tired. He hadn't actually realized how long he had been walking. The sun was already at its zenith, and he had been walking since the early morning yesterday. His hand went slowly towards Tetsusaiga. 

            The dragon's claw suddenly snaked forward, and slashed at InuYasha's side. The blade flew away, landing in a deep snow back right near the beast's head. 

            "You have the Tetsusaiga…" The dragon hissed in a smooth, silky, masculine voice. 

            InuYasha continued to back up very slowly. 

            The dragon grinned. "You would be InuYasha and Kagome then." It said. It was not a question. 

            InuYasha nodded, very carefully. The dragon could be an ally, but he wasn't willing to risk it. 

            The dragon thought for a moment. "Very well." He said. 

            InuYasha waited, but the dragon said nothing. 

            Finally, the hanyou took the initiative. "I have no quarrel with you!" He said in a loud voice, unconsciously taking the same tone he had used as Kain in Shinjuku. "We must see the dragon Vadise, and have heard she is above this mountain. May we pass." 

            The dragon looked at him for a moment. "Vadise is aware of you're presence." He said slowly. "However she is unavailable at the moment. You may not pass." 

            InuYasha nodded slightly, crouching down, and getting ready to attempt to run. He didn't have Tetsusaiga with him, so he had to be careful to keep his temper. 

            The dragon's eyes widened in amusement. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He advised. "You should stay here, until she is ready."

            InuYasha looked up, and growled. "We really don't have time for that." He said. 

            The dragon nodded. "She rather thought you might think that." He remarked. Suddenly his scales shifted, every one of them standing out from his body, like a sea of miniature crystalline knifes. "No offence, but I've got orders." He said. 

            InuYasha crouched down, then suddenly dashed forward, heading strait for the dragon. The dragon inhaled sharply, and breathed out. There was no fire, or lighting, or anything. It was just a normal breath… Until it hit InuYasha.

            The hanyou stopped dead still. The air was freezing. It was way below just cold. It was the burning kind of cold… the kind that was so cold that it would turn water to a gas. He couldn't move. He couldn't breath, for his mouth and nose were already frozen. Ice was forming in his lungs! He could barely move. He wasn't being coated in Ice. Ice wasn't forming around him. It was a dry, burning cold. The only refuge he had was the quilt resting against his back, which still gave off a steady heat. At least Kagome was safe. 

            It was so… so cold. 

            Suddenly, his eyes caught a sweeping talon coming at him. Despite the pain I his frozen joints, he backed up. It was painfully slow, but fast enough to avoid the claw.  

            InuYasha leapt out of the way of another blow, a little faster this time. He could feel the Youkai blood raging under the surface, begging to be let free. He gritted his teeth, and in spite up all his instincts, turn and ran. His feet began to slip on the slick ice, and he could hear the Dragon in taking another deep breath, and prepared to feel the terrible sting of the cold again. His foot slipped suddenly, carrying both him and Kagome to the ground, hard. 

            He almost remained motionless as the quilt fell over him, smothering him in warmth, but the single thought of Kagome exposed to the cold got him back to his feet, and kept him running. 

            The sounds of the dragon died behind them, and InuYasha slowed. Slowly he turned around, expecting to see the flashing white of teeth and scales. 

            The dragon though, was still back on the pass, looking at them with cool, bottomless eyes. 

            InuYasha sighed. Well, at least… it wasn't… coming after… them… 

            InuYasha was unconscious before he hit the ground. 

**

            Woot! What a fun chapter! In case you hadn't noticed, Atma is really really weird, and makes no sense whatsoever. 

            Hehe! She's my biggest role model in life. I wish that I could live several thousand years to perfect being weird. Alas, I cannot! Toodles!


	42. Bear my Child

            Sorry for the short chapter, folks. I've got work in fifteen minutes, and I need to eat something before then, so wont you Forgive me. This was a fun chapter to write. Anywho, there's a little more Inu/Kag fluff coming soon, so please be patient.             

~~

Deep in the heart of the desert, Sango, Miroku, Kitty, and Atma all sat in a very uneasy circle. Atma seemed the only one at ease, sitting patiently, and humming a tune to herself. 

            Kitty was eyeing her nervously, Petrified because of being in the presence of such a great dragon. 

            Miroku, on the other hand, was very silent, lost deep in thought. 

            Sango, however, was definitely faring to worst. She was still a little sore, very annoyed at waking up to find that she was half blind, and now thoroughly confused. She had just spent almost an hour alone with Atma, after all. 

            Miroku, and the odd youkai known as "Kitty" had taken their precious time getting water. If it wasn't for the heavy, red slap marks on Miroku's face, Sango would have been suspicious. 

            After they had gotten back, Atma had demanded that they sit and wait until "The rest of the group" got there. Briefly, Sango wondered who the rest of the group was. Maybe some more dragons? Her Eyes narrowed reflexively, and she starred at the odd dragon. She acted like a little kid, and even when she was acting normally, she still made no sense! But it didn't fool Sango. She had seen how the dragon had acted that night when she had attacked. She had suddenly turned serious, and almost sinister. And yet, she had healed Sango easily, and seemed to be acting like a friend. What was she playing at?

            Miroku seemed to be thinking about these things as well, for no sooner were the thoughts out of her head, did the monk look up at Atma. "Why are you here?" He asked clearly. 

            "Hmm?" Atma looked up at him. "How do you mean?" 

            "You're obviously playing games with us, and Kagome might I add. I want to know why you attacked us, and why you are helping us now." Miroku's tone left little question to weather he would be deterred. 

            Atma seemed to look at him in amusement for a while, then a smile appeared on her face. "Houshi." She said, her voice getting slightly richer. "I keep on forgetting that you are smarter than most. Tell me, what do _you _suspect of what I'm playing."

            Miroku nodded. "Very well." He stood up. "For starters, I think that whoever this 'Vadise' is, she is you're ally." 

            Atma nodded. "Point one for the monk." 

            "Now, you obviously didn't mean to kill Kagome." Miroku continued. "Otherwise, she would be dead."

            Atma grinned at him wolfishly, and nodded. 

            Miroku thought for a moment, considering his thoughts. "So, I would say that you want something from us."

            Atma's grin widened. "Congratulations." She said. "You win a cookie!" 

            Miroku nodded. "But!" He interrupted whatever Atma was about to say. "It's too extravagant." Atma looked at him appraisingly. 

            "Keep going." She encouraged. 

            "The entire quest." Miroku mused. "It's all too well planned. It would have been easier to simply kidnap Kagome, and hold her hostage, or hurt her, and offer to heal her there on the spot. She wasn't as bad as Sango, and you healed her without much effort."

            Atma nodded. "Very good. You get two cookies." She held up her hand, and two small, round, cookies fell into it. She smiled sweetly as she handed them to Miroku. "Now, there is one more, can you get it?"

            Miroku shook his head. "That's as far as I got." He confessed with a shrug, and turned to Sango. "That's what I think is going on. Do think anything else." 

            For the first time since she woke up, Sango's mind started whiling. All her gears clicked in from her funk, and she started thinking again. She nodded slightly, as her brain processed everything that Miroku said. It all made sense. Yes… but something was missing. Something was poking her brain, into action. It was something that Khellendros had said that had got her angry. IT was something about fun… he was just having fun… It was just fun. 

            Sango's eyes snapped open, and she glared up at Atma angrily. "It's just a game!" She declared. "It's just a game to you, isn't it!" 

            Atma smiled broadly at her, and she held up two fingers, a cookie resting firmly between them. "Yes?" She said. 

            Sango stood up. "You're just doing this for amusement!" She stormed, anger building like a storm cloud. "All the questing, everything! It's just for you're fun, isn't it." She stalked over to where she was standing to glare into Atma's face. "'Oh, I'm bored, lets go play with some humans.' Is that it?"

            Atma thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No." She said. 

            Sango scowled at her. "What then?" 

            Atma seemed to think. "Well, you've got the amusement part down, but it's not like we've been moving you around on a game board or anything. I just attacked. You guys took it from there."

            Sango's eyes flashed, and her scowl became a snarl of rage. "So you're just laughing at us up on some mountain?"

            Atma shook her head. "No, I'm in a desert right now."  

            Sango quivered in rage, and grabbed the dragon by the throat. "You little bitch!" She seethed through clenched teeth. "You took Kohaku, Wounded Kagome, and now you even have the gall to watch us for your own fun?"

            Atma still smiled. 

            Sango didn't really know what happened, but the next moment, her hand was wrapped around her own neck, and Atma was sitting peacefully on the ground. She looked up at Sango and smiled. "You would be surprised what you do for fun once you have lived as long as I have, _kid._" She hissed. "Don't you dare judge me." 

            With that she turned around, and smiled at the rest of the group. "Well, I'm glad that clears that up. Any more questions?" 

            Miroku thought for a moment, then looked up, a quirky little grin on his face. He walked up to Atma, and simply in an effort to lighten the mood, kneeled down to one knee, and grasped her hand. 

            "Atma?" He asked dramatically. "Will you bear my child?" 

            Both Sango and Kitty's hands were mere inches away from his face before Atma gave her answer. "Sure!" She said cheerfully. "Why not?" With that she leaned strait forward and planted a ferocious kiss strait on Miroku's lips, pressing his face into hers with on hand. 

            Sango and Kitty looked at the kiss with horror, Sango staring at Miroku, her good eye twitching with anger, and Kitty, starring with aghast horror at Atma. Miroku's eyes widened, and crossed slightly, trying to focus on the woman kissing him. 

            Atma broke the kiss after almost half a minute, and grinned wolfishly at the poor monk. He fell backwards, and scrabbled away desperately, gasping for air. He stood up, rather shaken, and composed himself quickly. 

            Atma grinned at him, and suddenly appeared behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. His face paled visibly. "What's the matter houshi?" She asked. "I can make a nice dune for us to go behind, if you want." 

            Miroku snapped. He yelled in panic, and scrabbled madly away, running as fast as his legs would possibly take him. 

            Atma stood up proudly, and smiled at his rapidly receding form. 

            Sango, all her anger gone, looked up at the dragon with newfound respect. "How did you do that?" She asked in wonder. 


	43. Arivals

            It was cold. Kagome almost instantly started shivering, now exposed to the biting temperatures. Had InuYasha really walked through this cold for her?

            She looked around, and then saw InuYasha. She gasped as she saw his flushed cheeks, tears still frozen on to them. His saliva was frozen around his mouth, and every once in a while he would twitch slightly. 

            Kagome's eyes widened in panic. He was freezing! What was there she could do? She looked around frantically, scanning the snow covered landscape for any sign of warmth. The only thing that stood out was the dragon sitting in the middle of the path, several hundred feet away. It sat coolly, regarding them with calm eyes. It had a slight smile on its face. She wasn't finding any help there. 

            Thinking quickly, she hoisted the quilt out from under the hanyou, and laid it on top of him, feeling the inner warmth coming from it. Then hanyou still shivered intensely, though. She had to get him to some shelter, fast! There was only so much that quilt could do. 

            'Okay, shelter!' Kagome's mind raced. 'You could dig out a hole in the snow, right? That's supposed to keep people warm!' She quickly began to dig frantically, her hands quickly turning white a numb. Her eyes widened as she reached the barren earth. Only about two feet of snow! That wouldn't do. 

            She hopped to her feet again, and blew on her hands to warm them up, stomping up and down rapidly. What other shelter was there? This was a barren wasteland! What could she do? 

            Behind her, there was a sudden beat of wings, and she whipped around to see the dragon launch itself into the sky, and bolt over across the horizon, heading south. Kagome looked at it in suspicion, then at the spot where it had left. 

            Her eyes widened. Lying on the side of the mountain, where the path carved out upward in the mountainside, there was a crevice in the rock! Shelter. 

            Kagome nodded to herself, grabbed a corner of the quilt, and determinedly began to drag InuYasha towards the cave. 

~~

            Miroku sat down slowly, composing himself despite the burning in his face. How had that happened? She had said yes? No one _ever _said yes! It was what he counted on! If everyone said yes, then where would society be? Honestly! It wasn't as if it had been a serious question, anyway! 

            Kitty was still snickering at him, and Sango was giving him a speculative look. He didn't like that look. Atma just sat there in the sand, grinning broadly at him.  

            "Y'know, if you want to reconsider…" She left the question hanging. 

            Miroku blushed anymore. It was girls like her that were the threat to monks like him! They said _yes._ People couldn't just say _yes to the bearing child question! It wasn't right! He glared at her, angry for once. _

            She simply grinned back at him. 

            Shaken slightly, Miroku simply scooted over towards Sango. Things had gone way too awry on that one. From now on, he was sticking more towards familiar ground. Kisses were unpredictable. Slaps! Now those were better! You knew where you stood with slaps! 

            He scooted over to Sango a little more, staring subtly at an area which was sure to earn him a glowing mark on his face. 

            Then, to his utmost horror, Sango fixed him with one of the most evil glares he had ever seen, and scooted over towards him, staring right back. 

            Miroku paled in horror, and scooted away very quickly whimpering. 

            He missed the imperceptible nod between the youkai slayer and the dragon. 

            Suddenly, Atma looked up, and her grin widened. "Ah! At least some people are here." 

            They all looked up to see a winged figure passing overhead. 

            Slowly, and gracefully, a petite red dragon landed in the sand, its claws piercing into the hot sand. A tall, blonde figure vaulted off of it, and the dragon itself seemed to scrunch up, it's scales condensing, and slowly it reformed into a little crimson haired girl… wearing very little. 

            Miroku eyed the dragon carefully, and slowly scooted away from it. 

            Atma looked at the monk through her peripheral, and chuckled. The dragon shook herself slightly, and walked prettily over to the circle. "Hiya, Atma!" She said cheerfully, waving. 

            "Hello, Tiamet." Atma said, smiling back. "How is the plan?" 

            Tiamet nodded. "Their well on their way to the glacier. I came as soon as you called."

            Atma nodded, and clicked her claws together. "Excellent…"

            "Plan?" Sango asked, dimly aware that Kitty was staring at the blonde man standing next to the dragon. 

            Tiamet glanced at Atma. "How much have they figured out?" 

            Atma smiled at the youkai slayer, and the monk. "A decent amount. They don't actually know what I'm after, but hey, it's obvious enough that even I wouldn't think about it."

            Tiamet nodded. "Reasonable." She mused, and stuck out her hand. "Hi! She said brightly to Sango, shaking her hand. "I'm Tiamet, Wyrm of Flames." 

            "Wyrm of Flames?" Sango asked. 

            "It's a status." Tiamet said, and then glanced at Miroku on offered her hand. Miroku drew back defensively. "What's his problem?" She asked. 

            "Girl trouble." Atma said. 

            Tiamet glanced at Sango, then back at Miroku, and laughed. "Aw, poor baby!" She cooed. "Is Sango not slapping you any more?" 

            Sango wasn't really surprised that Tiamet knew her name, but watched the dragon and the monk with interest. 

            Tiamet nodded. "Well, that's okay; I'll play your little game."

            Miroku eyed her suspiciously. Then, slowly, they eyeing became slightly more than suspicious, running up and down the dragon's body. 

            SMACK!

            Miroku recoiled backwards, his hand on his face. There was a glowing red slap mark there. 

            Sango blinked in confusion. Was Miroku smiling? 

            Tiamet turned to her. "It's a game, you see?" She said. "Miroku tries to do something perverted without getting caught. When he gets caught, then you slap him." Sango nodded slowly. "But!" Tiamet added. "When you start being a pervert back, then it upsets the rules of the game, and then anarchy reigns." She explained. "Miroku plays the game whenever he gets the chance. I guarantee you he keeps score somewhere." 

            Sango eyed Miroku, and Miroku's eyes dipped to the ground guiltily. So THAT was it! Hmph! Well, two could play at that game!

            Tiamet looked over her shoulder at the two dragons. The blonde was standing on one end, and Kitty was sitting at the other, both staring pointedly at the other. 

            Tiamet sighed, and shook her head. "Will you two just get on with it?" She demanded. 

            The two dragoons jumped up guiltily, and looked away. 

            Atma began to giggle in amusement. 

            Sango and Miroku both looked up confused. 

            Tiamet looked over her shoulder at them. "Dragoons aren't supposed to have romantic relationships, as it takes away some of their loyalty as dragoons." Miroku nodded. It was reasonable. 

            Tiamet shrugged, "But we honestly don't care." She turned around to the blonde man and snapped. "Aaron! Go over there and hug her." 

            "But…" She dragoon called Aaron said, halfheartedly. 

            Atma glared at Kitty. "Well, go over there and give him a kiss!" Before Kitty could protest, Atma's voice raised. "Well? That's an order, go!" 

            Kitty shot out of her seat, and was in Aaron's arms in seconds. 

            Tiamet and Atma, in absolute unison, put there ands together, and crooned a big, sappy "Aaaawww!" 

            The kiss lasted several minutes. During which Atma continuously made humorous comments to Tiamet, or vise versa. Finally, Atma glanced at her wrist as if watching for something, then stood up. "Alright! That's enough; break it up, you two!"

            The couple broke thee kiss, both breathing heavily. 

            Sango suddenly found herself blushing, and Miroku was busy trying not to laugh. 

            Atma grinned at them, and snickered. "Well, now that that's all cleared up, why don't we get down to business."

            Tiamet frowned. "But, were still not all here." She pointed out. 

            Atma nodded, then put her hand on Kitty's shoulder. "Yes, But poor Kitty here, is out a dragon." She said. "Can't be a dragoon without a dragon." 

            Kitty suddenly looked nervous. Sango wondered what was going to happen. 

            Atma pressed on. "However, I'm probably gonna be aching for a dragoon after _she" She indicated Sango. "Steals Kohaku back." _

            Kitty suddenly looked up, hope in her eyes. 

            "So, I guess I'll keep you on layaway." Atma finished with a grin and a wink. 

            Kitty blinked at her in shock, then started laughing. She jumped up and down excitedly, and dashed into Aaron's embrace again, half strangling the poor man. The jubilation was interrupted though, as another dark shape passed over head. They all looked up as a large, glistening white dragon dropped down to the desert floor, panting in the heat. 

            "Hey Atma." He wheezed, flapping his wings to cool himself off. 

            Atma looked over and nodded. "Hey, Gelledius." She said. 

            Gelledius grinned at her, and lumbered over, still fanning himself. Slowly, mindful of the little humans near, he lay down, almost cat-like in repose. 

            "I just saw that hanyou and the girl. Their making better time than we had planned." He hissed to Atma. 

            Miroku and Sango looked up, perplexed. 

            Atma nodded. "You didn't let them past, did you?" 

            The dragon shook his head. 

            Sango was about to ask what was going on, when Miroku grabbed her shoulder, and shook his head. Now was a time for listening, not for speaking. 

            Gelledius pressed on. "The hanyou was half dead from walking. He's really serious about getting the girl to Vadise fast. He was frozen stiff." 

            Atma looked up at him. "What did you do?" She asked quizzically. 

            Gelledius smiled. "I gave him a blast of cold when he tried to get past. He's unconscious now. They're shacking up in a little cave." He turned his gaze to Kitty and Aaron. "They seem to have a special blanket that resists extreme temperatures." He remarked. 

            Aaron and Kitty looked at each other guiltily. Aaron attempted to whistle an innocent tune. 

            Atma held up a hand, and silence fell. Even the wind stopped. Atma mused for a moment, then spoke. "So… InuYasha, and Kagome… are in a cave. Alone." 

            Gelledius nodded. 

            Atma tried desperately to keep in a laugh. "In arctic temperatures." 

            Gelledius nodded again. 

            "With only one blanket…" 

            Tiamet and Gelledius looked at each other, then back at the superior dragon. "Are you going to…" 

            Atma rubbed her hands together evilly. "Why yes… Why not." She said to herself. "Sure. It would work." 

            Tiamet groaned. 

            Atma smiled. "I think it's time for a certain hanyou to have a _very good dream." She purred. _

            Sango and Miroku exchanged nervous glances. 

**

            No, next chapter is NOT gonna be a lemon… or even a lime… maybe an orange… or maybe and apple. The rough equivalent of five grapes I think, actually. 

Anywho! Sorry if you had trouble understanding this chapter. I had to get a lot of stuff to happen, in a short amount of time, and so it might prove a little confusing. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. I'll try to address most of them. 


	44. Please

            Well, just for the record, I'm not actually sure what rating this is, fruit wise, but It's gonna stay in the bounds of PG 13. No graphic stuff. 

            Let's just call, it a papaya, two Kiwi, and a pomegranate, to be safe. 

            Just for the record, I will _NEVER _write a lemon. Period. Ever. No. Maybe a lime, someday. But no Lemon, don't even bother asking.

            Okay, here we go!

**

            _"InuYasha!" The cry rallied up from the villagers. They stood resolutely in front of the shrine. They would die, if necessary, to protect the treasure inside from the dangerous hanyou. _

_            Rising like a demonic avenger, something erupted from the woods, held down by a giant net. The figure raised it's arms, and shredded through the net as if it was tissue paper. _

_            He had long, silver hair, a cocky grin, and baggy red warrior's clothes. It was InuYasha, the rouge hanyou. He kicked through the air like some great unearthly beast, and landed on the Overhanging entrance post to the shrine, shrugging off the spears and javelins of the pathetic villagers. _

_            With a single leap, he propelled himself through the shrine's roof, and landed on the hardwood floor, smiling to himself. There! Sitting peacefully on an ornate pedestal. _

_            The Shikon no Tama!_

_            The Jewel of Four Souls!_

_            InuYasha's eyes widened. But… what was the Shikon no Tama doing here? Kagome had shattered it, hadn't she? Wait! What was he doing here! He had to save Kagome! _

_            The hanyou turned, and fled the building… or at least tried to. His breath hissed in shock as he took a grudging step towards the jewel. What was happening? The hanyou snatched the jewel, grinning slightly, but screaming inside, attempting to flee. _

_            "At last!" He said, the words forcing themselves out of his mouth. "A way for me to become youkai at last!"_

_            With that, he turned, and dashed out of the shrine, becoming a blur for all his speed.  The villager's blew by in a haze. InuYasha's eyes widened as he saw the tree. HE knew it well. Large, eternal, and ancient. With a sudden horror, he knew what was going to happen next _

_            His worst fears were confirmed as a firm, authoritative voice called out, piercing his ears shrilly. "InuYasha!" His eyes shifted automatically, his expression aghast. An arrow, plain and simple was rushing at him. _

_            He braced himself from the burning pain that was sure to come. There was a sharp tug, and his back thudded hard into the tree… but there was no pain. Why wasn't there any pain? _

_            His eyes opened again, and widened. The village was gone! It was just him, and the tree. The Arrow held him firmly in place, piercing right above his left shoulder, through his cloak. _

_            A thin mist hung all around. In the distance, he could make out the odd outline of a girl. A girl he knew all too well. _

_            "Kikyo…" He whispered as the girl came near. _

_            The priestess was in her normal clothing. Red, baggy pants, and a white frilled top, with long flowing sleeves. But there was something wrong. Something about the ease with which she moved. It had a fluid, informal grace to it. Her face was different too. Softer, less pale, more emotional. And her hair was odd. It was long still, but was less well kept. There was a big poof at the front, then it settled in the back, and laid down nicely. He knew this girl even better. _

_            His eyes widened as Kagome kneeled down right next to him, smiled at him warmly, and caught his lips with hers in a tender, soft, embrace. _

~~

            Sango and Miroku watched the dragons carefully. All their eyes were closed, and they seemed to be watching something. Every once in a while, someone would giggle. 

            "I like the setting…" Tiamet mumbled. "Very romantic…" 

            Atma nodded for a moment, end giggled again. "Observe." She whispered, and giggled again. 

            Sango looked at Miroku. The monk shrugged. 

            Sango looked back. Slowly, her senses told her something was creeping towards her backside. Briefly, she toyed with the idea of inching closer to the monk. Then, she caught the half desperate look in his eye.  The youkai exterminator sighed. 

            SMACK!

            Miroku recoiled, feeling the burning sensation as feeling returned to his cheek. Things were back to normal… thank the heavens. 

~~

            Kagome dragged InuYasha into the deeper recesses of the cave, breathing heavily. Damn! It was cold. 

            She sighed, and sat down next to the hanyou's still form. She had to admit, the hanyou did have a certain talent for making her heart go pitter-patter. She let out a huge sigh, and leaned back, panting hard. He was heavy! He rubbed the sweat from her forehead, and leaned down over the hanyou to make sure he was alright. 

            Now, she could really see how very tired he was. HE had passed out in fatigue as much as from the cold! "What an idiot!" She muttered to herself. "He'll kill himself!" 

            She leaned down to his face, and began to scrape the ice off his cheeks. That breath must have been really cold. He felt like an ice cube!

            Nervously, she scooted down next to him, leaning down against his side. This was really embarrassing, but she had to get him warm… and she had to get warm herself! She hadn't realized how cold she was until she got into the cave. Her face burning, and her heart going wild, now not just from the cold, and hard work, she pulled up beside the hanyou's still form, drawing a small portion of the blanket over her. 

            "Kagome…" InuYasha murmured suddenly. 

            The young miko gasped, and scrambled away, her face burning. Oh, god, please don't let InuYasha have woken up right then! Oh man! How embarrassing! 

            Slowly, she crept over to the still form of the hanyou. He didn't look awake… 

            Suddenly, her blush deepened… what if he was murmuring her name while he was dreaming? 

            The hanyou turned over in his sleep, smiling slightly, and whispered her name again. 

            Kagome could only stare at the idiot grin plastered on his face… 

~~

            _InuYasha's eyes widened as Kagome's lips pressed against his own, hers warm and soft against his. What the hell was going on? Suddenly, he fell back, breaking the kiss, landing flat on the ground. The tree had disappeared! What was going on? Where were they. _

_            "Kagome…" He whispered, looking at the young miko. The gentle smile still on her face, she leaned down, and put a single finger on his lips, silencing him. The finger slowly slipped away, and InuYasha opened his mouth to continue, but her soft lips replaced the finger. Slowly, her arms wrapped around him, and the kiss deepened. _

_            What was happening? InuYasha thought, feeling his resolve begin to break down. The gentle, coaxing hands slowly circled around him, gently kneading the tension out of his back. InuYasha sighed into her mouth, his resolve reduced to practically nothing, and slowly began to melt into the kiss. _

_            One of the hands expertly began to rise up his back, creeping up his neck, working it's way through his silver locks of hair, and then finally to one of his small doggy ears. She broke the kiss, and giggled slightly as the ears twitched under her careful touch.       _

_            Then, from deep within his chest, a low, almost growling purr formed. Kagome grinned, and resumed the kiss, snuggling deeper into the hanyou. _

~~

            Kagome's blush increased even more. Oh, god! Was he purring? The deep bass rumble filled the cave. Great! This was just great! The guy was dreaming about her, murmuring her name, and now he was _purring_? And she had to actually get under a quilt with this guy? 

            Kagome sighed, and beat the wall out of frustration… but then again… She suppressed a giggle. She was making him purr… even if it was a dream version of her… 

            How long had it been, since she realized that what she felt for InuYasha was more than just friendship? It had been a long time… Kagome knew that… but was it even a specific moment? It had happened gradually… yes. And then one day, her friends had been on her about Hojo again. 

            Kagome sighed. Why didn't they ever leave her alone? Anyway, they had been on her again… and out of annoyance she had told them that she already had a boy friend. It had just been a little white lie! After all, they wouldn't leave her alone! 

            She sighed again, and shook her head. That had been a mistake! She stared at InuYasha out of the corner of her eye. He was still purring, and his ear was twitching madly. She giggle at the sight, and scooted towards him, the cold biting in to her again. She covered her legs with a corner of the quilt, trying to work up the courage to slide back in beside him again. Slowly, her thought began to drift again, and she absentmindedly began to scratch one of the sleeping hanyou's ears. 

            Her friends all wanted to know what he was like after that, and what his name was, and weather they could meet him. And slowly, her "Boyfriend" began to take on an actual personality. He was arrogant, and possessive. He always dressed in red, and had a real attitude at times, but he was sweet deep down. He had broken up with his old girlfriend, but still couldn't get over her, and so Kagome was always wondering where she stood with him. Sometimes, he acted like a total jerk, and then at others, he was wonderful, funny, and kind. 

            Then, they asked the question. What was his name? It was at that point that Kagome realized, with a sinking feeling, that the person she had been describing was InuYasha… 

            But how? He wasn't her boyfriend! How did she end up describing him without even knowing it? The more she thought about it, the more she was troubled by it. Then, she realized that something about InuYasha was more than friendship to her. She wasn't really sure what it was… but it was definitely more than friendship.

            Was it love? How did you know what love was? Did she love InuYasha? She looked back down to the smiling face, and the twitching ears. Well, so what if she did! 

            Slowly, and carefully, she began to slide down beside him, trying not to wake him. 

~~

            The dragon's watched the dream proceed with much interest (And much giggling). Miroku and Sango watched them like hawks, trying to figure out what was going on. It obviously had something to do with InuYasha and Kagome… but what? 

            Suddenly, Atma opened her eyes and shrugged, the other dragons followed suit. 

            Tiamet sighed, and glared at the older dragon. "Well, that was boring!" She complained. "You didn't put in any of the juicy stuff!" 

            Atma sighed, and shook her head. "Trust me! That was all that was needed." She said dismissively. "I'm not a total pervert! He just needs a little help on the attraction." 

            "Well, yeah…" Tiamet said sulkily. "But couldn't you have put in just a little…" She left the phrase hanging. 

            "No!" Atma said firmly. 

            "Well, in that case, shouldn't we wake him up?" 

            Atma sighed. "Yes… I suppose." 

~~

            _InuYasha gently stroked his clawed fingers through Kagome's hair, while she scratched his ears. They were still kissing… it just seemed like to important of a bond to break. _

~~

            Atma nodded slightly, and lifted her hand. "It's time for our little hanyou…" 

~~

            _Kagome broke the kiss, finally, and stared fondly down at him. _

~~

            "…to awaken."

~~

            _The young miko gently leaned down to nuzzle against his cheek, and her mouth parted to whisper a deep, lovely secret into his ear. _

~~ 

            Her hand raised even higher, and her fingers snapped once. 

~~

            InuYasha's eyes shot wide open, and he sat up instantly. 

            Kagome gasped, and scrambled out of the quilt, blushing madly. 

            "What the hell?" InuYasha yelled, looking around wildly. His gaze quickly taking in the entire cave, the quilt, and the blushing Kagome. 

            Suddenly, the contents of his dream rushed back, and his blush increased, his eyes widening in a blatant stare. 

            Kagome's eyes narrowed. He _was _dreaming about her. 

            The hanyou shook his head, to clear it, and then looked down, assessing the situation. Kagome was sitting at one side, blushing madly. Then his eyes picked out her shivering. That idiot! What was she doing out of the quilt.

            He looked down, and saw that it was draped over him, instead. With a start, he realized that he was cold. Very… very cold. The warm quilt was all around him, but still, he was freezing! 

            But that didn't matter! He was a hanyou! He would be able to make it! The girl was idiotic, putting him in the blanket. How else had he gotten here? What had she been thinking?

            "You idiot!" He growled. 

            Kagome blinked. "What?" She asked, confused. 

            "You're half frozen!" HE growled. "You should be in here! Not me." With that, he pulled himself out of the quilt and expertly threw it across Kagome. "You stay here." He said authoritatively, interrupting Kagome's interjections. "I'll go out and see if the path is clear." 

            He turned to stalk out of the door, his dream still fresh in his mind. He should probably get out of Kagome's presence for a while, until he cooled down a bit. 

            But Kagome's voice stopped him, angry and incessant. "Well, what about you?" She called after him, her temper starting to rise. What was InuYasha thinking? Going out into a storm like this? Honestly, she thought he had a bit more since than that! "You're half frozen too! You're in no condition to move around!" 

            InuYasha glanced back at her, still inching his way out of the cave. "I'm a hanyou!" He said arrogantly. "I can stand a little cold, not like you wimpy humans." 

            Kagome's temper went up another notch, and she rose to her feet, and began to walk towards him. "It's not a "Little cold" I'm worried about!" She yelled. "InuYasha, you felt like an ice cube just two minutes ago! You're freezing. You've got to get back in here and warm up." 

She left the fact that to do that he would have to get under the quilt with her unspoken, but Kagome could tell that he knew that just as well as she did. He turned around to her, and scowled. "Feh!" He sniffed. "I'm fine. I need to go fetch Tetsusaiga."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "InuYasha!" She yelled, still slightly embarrassed at being caught in the quilt with him. "You aren't going anywhere till you get in here and rest! You haven't slept in almost two days, and you're freezing to death!"

InuYasha sniffed again, and turned towards the mouth of the cave. "Hmph! I can go a lot longer than a wimpy human without sleep!" Beginning to walk, "I don't need any rest. You do!"

Inwardly, Kagome yelled in frustration. She looked up again, at the rapidly retreating hanyou. Surly he knew he couldn't keep going in this condition. Not even InuYasha was that arrogant. There had to be some other reason for him acting like this! Then her eyes widened. No way! It couldn't be! Could he be embarrassed? Was he trying to avoid her. He blush if anything deepened. Still, she wasn't gonna let something like that stop her. The stupid idiot would work himself to death! 

She stalked after him, coming to the mouth of the cave. InuYasha was already several steps out of the cave, and stumbling slightly on the ice. 

"InuYasha!" She called. "Stop being stupid! You're gonna kill yourself!" 

InuYasha whipped around. "Shaddap!" He roared, suddenly irrationally angry. "I'm fine! Get back in the cave, and get some rest." 

Kagome took a deep breath, and took a step out into the snow, her dirty school shoes crunching the snow. "InuYasha!" She yelled, starting to get very angry at the stupid hanyou. "You get in here right now! You're too weak, to do anything! You can barely even stand!" She gestured to the hanyou's trembling legs. 

This only made InuYasha angrier. "I said Shut up!" He yelled, moving towards her slightly. "Get back in the cave, and stay there!" He said irrationally, getting angry himself. "Just… GO!" 

Kagome's eyes narrowed stubbornly, and she took another step out into the snow. "Listen InuYasha." She said, starting to breath heavily from all the yelling. "You need to get back in the cave… NOW!" Her breaths were coming out shorter, and shorter now, and her head was beginning to fuzz slightly. The thin air was probably messing with her condition. 

InuYasha's eyes flashed dangerously. "Listen, you stupid girl! You're the one who's injured, you're the one who's hurt, and you're the one who needs rest! I'll be _fine out here! You get back in!" _

Kagome's nerves suddenly shot. She had a headache, she was out of breath, and she was in a really bad mood now. And the worst part was that the idiot was just doing it to protect her! Didn't he have any sense of self preservation? Honestly! She was about to cry, she could tell, but she honestly didn't care right now. She needed to get InuYasha inside, by any means necessary. 

InuYasha saw her silence, and her annoyed expression, and turned his back, begging to stalk off again. 

"InuYasha!" Kagome suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, still trying to figure out what she was going to say. "You are the most stupid, ignorant, selfish, stuck up bastard I have ever met!" She raged, her voice cracking slightly. She could already feel the tears running down her cheeks. 

InuYasha stopped suddenly, and turned his gaze on her in shock. "Don't you _care _what I think?" She demanded. "You don't think I _care if you die!" She was getting more worked up the more she spoke. "You're an idiot! Please InuYasha! If you go out there,  you'll freeze to death!  Do you think I want that? Please InuYasha!" She gushed, trying to find the words to say. "Please just… Please!" Not knowing how to continue. _

InuYasha gaped at her, slightly, backing up just a little, almost as if afraid. 

Kagome shook her head, and pressed onward. "Do you think I'm stupid?" She asked. "Do you think I don't _know why you're avoiding me?" _

InuYasha's face suddenly took a horrified look. 

"InuYasha, I heard you moaning my name in you're sleep! I'm not an idiot, I know why you want to get away, and it's a stupid reason." Her breath was coming in short, little gasps now, and tears were freezing to her cheeks. She had to get him to listen!

She took a deep breath, trying to clear her head, and prepare for what she had to say. "Listen, InuYasha!" She said. "If you don't come in here, and rest, then you are going to _die!  Dammit! And I am going to __die!  Is that what you want?" Her voice raised to a crescendo. "Is it? Please InuYasha… Please, I don't want you to be gone. I don't want to lose you. Please…" Her voice died down to a whisper, but the hanyou's ears picked it up easily. "Please InuYasha… I don't want you to die…" She breathed in, preparing for what she had to say. "And you can do whatever you want with me, InuYasha. You can have me as you're mate, if you want… just please… come in… I… I…" She voice broke, and she started sobbing. "Please…" She finished, frozen tears glistening on her cheeks. _

InuYasha stared at the girl in shock… tears freezing on his own cheeks as well. 


	45. Never Alone

            Hello! I'm back! 

            Hehe… well, I have to say, I liked the response I got for last chapter. Thank you very much! 

            Just one thing before we start, I have something to say to friend of shippo. And that it: "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! Finally, someone besides me who dislikes lemons! Thank you! I'm not alone in the world! My faith in humanity is restored! Yippee!" *Jumps up and clicks heals together.* 

            Anywho, there is a bit more fluff in this chapter, but that's all it is, fluff. Nothing graphic, or anything like that, so DON'T GET YOU'RE HOPES UP, YA'LL PERVETS! Hehe. Just kidding. I know my readers aren't perverts… exept for that trinuviel fella… ;)  (Just kidding, Again.) Here ya go. 

            Oh, and just for the record, Kagome's offer was not a "Bribe," It was an acknowledgment of InuYasha's feelings, and she was pretty much telling him that if he did, then she wouldn't hate him for it. I do agree, Kagome "Offering" herself like that would in fact be very out of character.  

~~

            InuYasha's eyes widened in shock. Was this Kagome who was speaking to him? What was she saying? Did she just offer what he thought she did? 

            He blinked once… then again. "Kagome…" he whispered. 

            The miko looked up at him, still crying. She was on her knees, now, buried deep in the snow. Dimly, InuYasha was aware that the wind was picking up, and snow was beginning to fall. His senses still worked even in this state. 

            Did she really care about him that much? She was willing to do… _that to keep him alive. Deep in his body his heart did a little flip. She was willing to give herself to him? _

            Then, slowly, at the back of his mind, a familiar voice stirred. '_she__ is willing.' It hissed at him. _'but what will you do? Will you take advantage of her… when all she wants is you're well being?'__

InuYasha's heart did another flip, and the hanyou looked up again. Kagome had stopped crying, and was avoiding looking at his face, her head turned to the side, averting her gaze. 

            Slowly, InuYasha took a step forward. He could see Kagome wince. His sensitive nose easily picked up the heavy scent of fear radiating off her. InuYasha drew in a deep breath. She was scared stiff. Now even closer, he could see her trembling like a cornered rabbit. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was scrunched forth resolutely. 

            InuYasha slowly stepped over to her, and in one, smooth, easy motion, lifted her into his arms, cradling her gently. Slowly, in his warm arms she relaxed, the tears on her cheeks thawed, and ran down her cheeks, and splashed onto his haori. 

            The hanyou gently ruffled Kagome's hair, and carried her into the mouth of the cave. 

~~

            Atma opened her eyes, tears brimming in them, and turned to Tiamet. "Didja see?" She asked desperately, clasping her hands together, and grinning at her. "It's so cute!" 

            Tiamet nodded impatiently, and closed her eyes again. "Yeah, yeah, real cute." She agreed. "I wanna see what happens now!" 

            Atma glared at her, and for a split second, her eyes glowed slightly. 

            Tiamet blinked, and let out an angry sigh. "Hey, you blocked my vision!" She whined. "I wanna see!" 

            Atma glared at her, and promptly hit her in the head. "Don't you dare peek!" She said angrily. "They need their privacy." She sniffed, and rubbed her chin. "Besides, I have great respect for InuYasha. He's not gonna lose control jus like that!"

            Tiamet looked at her, aghast. "What?" She gasped. "You mean after all that, their not gonna…" She left the phrase hanging. 

            Atma sighed, and rubbed her temples. "Listen, you raging little scaly pile of hormones." She sighed. "There is a whole lot more to love than…" She gave an embarrassed glance to Miroku and Sango, "…_that._" She said. "As a matter of fact… _that _is a very small, and insignificant part of love." 

            Tiamet looked at her suspiciously, and pursed her lips. "Only if you do it the boring way." She said defiantly. 

            Atma stared at her a moment, then sighed, muttering under her breath. 

            Sango looked from Tiamet to Atma, then back again. She had  a sneaking suspicion of what they were talking about, and wasn't liking the subject. She got more than enough of _that with Miroku. _

            Slowly, Miroku rose to his feet, trying to hold in a laugh. "I understand now." He said, chuckling. 

            Atma looked over at him. "Oh?" She asked. 

            Miroku nodded slowly. "Why you went through all the trouble to split us up." 

            Atma smiled sweetly at him. "Continue." 

            "You're simply playing matchmaker."  Miroku said evenly. 

            Atma cocked an eyebrow at him, and snapped her fingers. "Aww, poop." She said. "I'm all out of cookies." 

            Miroku nodded in satisfaction. "But why InuYasha and Kagome?" HE posed. "You seem to know a considerable amount about all of us… I want to know why you are interested in us." 

            Atma smiled sweetly. "Well…" She said. "As for InuYasha, I knew his father… rather well." She said carefully. 

            Miroku's eyes twinkled in understanding, and Atma nodded almost imperceptibly to him. 

            Shrugging, she continued on. "As for Kagome, she travels in time. That interests me. I'll have to keep tabs on her in her own time…" She mused. 

            Miroku gasped. "You can travel in time as well?" He asked. 

            Atma looked at him oddly, then laughed. "No!' She said. "Of coarse not!" She shrugged. "However, by the same token, five hundred years truly isn't that long." She said dismissively. "I'll have to mark it on my calendar, so I won't forget though." She looked up. Miroku was giving her an odd look. 

            Atma coughed slightly, and continued. "And as for you and Sango, we like to keep tabs on what you so foolishly call the Shikon no Tama. You people are among the most powerful searchers for it… so I naturally know about you." 

            Miroku nodded slightly. 

            Atma gave him an odd look. "But how did you know that it was me that split you up." 

            Miroku shrugged. "You mentioned Kohaku being you're dragoon. You must have ordered him to kidnap…" His voice trailed off, both him and Sango remembering at the same time. 

            "Shippo!" They both gasped in unison. 

~~

            Kagome mentally cursed herself as she was carried gently into the cave. What had she been thinking, pouring her guts out like that? InuYasha probably thought she was a total idiot now… but at least in worked. 

            But then again… now InuYasha would… She couldn't finish the thought. Would it hurt, she wondered. Would he be rough? 

            Slowly, InuYasha set her down next to the warm quilt, shivering slightly in the cold himself. 

            Slowly, and almost numbly, Kagome's hand went to the front of her blouse. However, a gentle, clawed hand caught hers. 

            She glanced up at InuYasha. He was smiling warmly at her… although it was slightly forced. She could still see traces of lust in his eyes… 

            He shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you…" He whispered. "Kagome, promise me… If I lose control, us the S-word on me, as much as you need to." 

            Kagome gaped at him, astonished. 

            His expression hardened. "Promise me, Kagome!" He rasped, his grip on her hand tightening. 

            Kagome swallowed slowly, and nodded, half shocked, and half grateful. 

            InuYasha nodded slightly, and forced a smile. 

            Kagome looked in his eyes, and saw with shock that they were shaking wildly. His hands fell to his sides, clenched into fists so hard that his claws dug into his palms, and his knuckles turned white. 

            Kagome blinked. Oh, god, even now he was fighting himself… and he doesn't even have the Tetsusaiga! 

            Quickly, she slipped down under the warm, heavy quilt, sighing despite herself as the warmth enveloped her. Then, the rustling beside her, and the sudden heavy presence of another body next to hers brought her crashing down to earth. 

            Once again, a tiny shred of fear emerged. What if he did break down? What would happen. Would she be able to "sit" him in time? What if she wasn't? 

            Slowly, she rotated to her belly, and tried to get comfortable, wrapping herself in the quilt. It really was warm… and soft… it was the kind of quilt you'd want to go home to after a hard days work. The kind that you could just fall into and be asleep in seconds. 

            Slowly Kagome began to relax, and began to drift. 

            _And InuYasha is right next to me trying practically physically restraining himself from raping me! _

            Kagome's eyes shot open, and she shivered. So much for sleep… at least for a while. 

            She laid awake, trying to dispel her own tension, shivering from time to time. 

            Then, slowly, a deep bass rumble sounded from next to her. Kagome had resolved not to look at InuYasha. But her head turned. 

            The hanyou was on his back, mouth set in a snarl, and sweat on his forehead. His eyes were beginning to turn pinkish around the edges, and glow dangerously. Kagome gasped as she looked on down and saw his fists. They were like balls of steel, clenched like vices. In between his fingers, she could see red oozing. He was cutting himself with his own claws! 

            "InuYasha…" She whispered, shocked as blood dripped down and stained the blanket. Her voice triggered something, and his eyes widened more, glowing even brighter. His hands unclenched, and briefly she could see his red stained palms before his hands wrenched up to his arms, hugging around his chest. 

            Almost instantly his claws slashed through the outer fire-rat Haori, and she could see the inner white one blossom crimson. Her eyes widened in horror as the deep bass growl continually got louder.

            "InuYasha!" She said, slightly louder this time. 

            His eyes flashed and the growl turned halfway into an anguished cry. Kagome gaped at him, her eyes widening in horror as His claws grew longer. 

            Then, he started to scratch. His claws raked along his arms, and chest, the haori lasting mere seconds. Crimson blossomed out of the deep slashes. 

            Kagome's eyes widened further. Oh, god, he was going to kill himself… _And it's all for you... Her mind whispered at her. _He's doing it all for you.__

Oh, god! 

            In desperation, she reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "InuYasha!" She yelled. 

            The scratching stopped, and suddenly his eyes shifted fixedly on her. They were glowing, and slightly pink. 

            There was a sudden flurry of movement, and Kagome attempted to gasp as two almost vice-like arms locked around her. The gasp, however, was stifled as the hanyou's warm lips locked her own firmly in place.  

            Kagome's eyes widened, and crossed slightly, staring at InuYasha's. Tiny little bolts of lighting ran across her body, and she trembled slightly. 

            InuYasha hugged her tighter, pressing her against him. Oh, god, this wasn't happening!

             One of InuYasha's hands traced up to the miko's hair, running the bloody claws through it, pulling at the tangled curls, while the other gently crushed her to him. 

            In panic, the cried out her only defense… but it wouldn't go past her mouth. Somehow, something went wrong, and all that emerged from her mouth was a pitiful whimper. 

            Yet… that was enough. Instantly, InuYasha's hands jerked away from her like she was burning hot. 

            She emmediately fell away from him, seeking the precious inches the quilt provided as a divider, and then dived, seeking the deep warmth and comfort of the quilt, curling into a fetal position. Did that really just happen? How? Why? 

            A tear oozed out of her eye, and down the side of her face. Slowly, he body began to rack with silent sobs, tears rolling down her face. 

            Coming from the sides, tow warm, strong, gentle arms enveloped her, drawing her back up to the dim light of the cave, turning her around, and giving her shoulder to cry on. Briefly, she looked up, and through her blurred eyes saw two glowing, golden eyes staring at her warmly. 

            Her arms wrapped around his, and She cried into his shoulder, her tears mingling with the blood on his haori. 

            Gently, InuYasha ruffled her hair. 

            He leaned down, his lips right next her ear. "I'm sorry…" He whispered, his own voice broken. 

            Eventually, the Miko's sobs slowed, and stopped. Her breathing slowed, then began drawing in and our rhythmically. InuYasha glanced at her. She was fast asleep, tearstains fresh on her cheeks. 

            Slowly, the hanyou looked up, and clutched her to him. He shivered slightly, not only from the biting cold that still radiated out from his very bones. He was scared. It was hard to admit it, even to himself, but he had to. The youkai blood was still there, rushing in his veins. He could feel it, screaming just behind his eyes. But that wasn't the worst. Deep down, he could feel his human blood screaming too, screaming for him to give in. 

            So it had come to this… InuYasha, since first becoming full youkai, had always taken refuge in the fact that he had human blood to counteract that… but now… now the human was just as bad. He was alone, assailed from both sides. 

            And yet… something was helping him. HE had no chance of resisting on his own. Slowly, his gaze shifted down to the warm miko. 

            No… not alone… never alone. 


	46. A Dragon's History

            Sorry to all of you who read the first version of this. I had some computer trouble, and ended up uploading the original, unedited version instead ot the newer one. This is the chapter I ment to post, but I had some computer trouble, and it got messed up. This actually has a much better dragon "Class" System, and a much clearer explanation of just about everything! Also, I'm still scheduled to usher at my brother's wedding on Saturday, and we leave for Virginia either on Wednesday, or Thursday. If it's Thursday, then I'll probably get another chapter up, but I've got plans on Tuesday, so don't hold you're breath… unless, you know… you can hold it for a really long time… like… a week… or so… maybe a week and a day… or a week and two, at the max… anywho, toodles! 

**

Sango and Miroku leaned forward, staring intently at Atma. The dragon's eyes were closed, and she was concentrating, spreading her awareness over the desert… searching. 

            "Hove you found him?" Sango asked finally.

            Atma's hand whipped, silencing her. 

            Sango opened her mouth, then closed again, choosing to remain silent. 

            Atma's eyes closed tighter, seeing beyond what anyone else could, then snapped open. "He's not in the desert." She said. "but I've called for backup." 

            Miroku raised an eyebrow inquiringly. "Backup?" He asked. 

            The was a slight thud in the sand behind them, and a smooth, young masculine voice rang out. "You called for me, mistress?" 

            Sango's eyes widened, and she whirled around. 

            Kohaku rose out of his crouch, and smiled slightly. "I came as soon as you called." He said good naturedly. 

            Sango's eyes widened, and she stumbled back. "Kohaku?" She asked, her heart quickening. 

            Kohaku turned to her, and smiled, then back to Atma. "Mistress." He said formally. "Everyone says that I should know this girl, yet I do not." 

            Sango's eyes widened, and she stumbled back. He… didn't know her? She was his sister! How could he not know her? 

            Atma stood up, and cracked her knuckles. "She's you're sister." She said dismissively. 

            Kohaku's eyes widened, and he turned instantly towards Sango, taking in her hurt expression. He suddenly looked down to his feet, awkwardly. 

            Sango slowly turned a steely glance towards Atma. The dragon didn't seem to notice. "Further more!" She continued. "You are no longer a dragoon under my service."

            Kohaku's eyes widened visibly. "You no longer wish for my services?" he said, somewhat haltingly. 

            Atma grinned at him. "Well, you're a really good dragoon, but Sango's probably gonna rip me to shreds, dragon or not, if I don't give you up." She said, waving her hand nonchalantly. 

            Sango rose carefully to her feet, still glaring at Atma, but nodded slightly in acceptance. 

            Atma nodded, and grinned. "Now, Kohaku." 

            Kohaku instinctively bobbed his head. "Yes Mistress?" He intoned. 

            Atma smiled at him, walked over, and ruffled his hair. "Okay, for starters, I'm not you're mistress. Next, do you know where the little kitsune is?"

            Kohaku suddenly stood up, looking very nervous, but didn't answer. 

            Atma's smile increased. "Kohaku…" She said in a lethal, sugary voice. 

            "………" Kohaku said softly. 

            Atma's smile increased even more. "What?" She asked, one of her elfin ears twitching. "I didn't hear you." 

            "He wandered into Morkleb's territory." 

            Atma nodded slowly. "Right." She said with a sigh.

            Sango and Miroku exchanged confused glances. 

            "Umm…" Miroku began. "Who is Morkleb?"

            Atma gave them an odd look, then turned to the other dragons. "You, get back to you're territories." She commanded, her normally goofy voice suddenly hard as steel. IT was a voice that you couldn't disobey. Tiamet and Gelledius instantly nodded. Aaron ran over to Tiamet, and the little dragon snapped her fingers, and the two disappeared in a blast of fire. 

            "Showoff." Gelledius grumbled as his large wings flapped once, and carried him high into the sky. 

            Atma nodded, and turned around. "Well, this is just a fine load of crappiness." She said, pouting. 

            "Who, dare we ask, is Morkleb?" Miroku voiced again. 

            Atma sighed, and gestured for them to sit. Kitty grinned, and plopped down beside them. "I heard some stuff about him from Khellendros, but never the whole tale." 

            Atma sighed, and straitened her back. "First of all, you all know that the leader of the dragons is the Ancient Wyrm, do you not?" 

            Kitty nodded. "Yes, the strongest of all dragons!" She said cheerfully. 

            Atma held out a finger, silencing her. "Not quite." She said. "The ancient wyrm is the dragon who best fits the needs of the dragon race, not necessarily the one that is strongest." 

            Miroku mused for a moment. "But wouldn't the strongest dragon be the one to lead?" 

            Atma smiled patiently at him. "I am not the strongest dragon, yet I am the ancient wyrm." 

            Miroku paused for a moment. "Yes… Vadise is stronger than you." She murmured. "But she let you take the title." 

            Atma looked at him slightly amused. "Houshi," She said. "Ancient wyrm is not a title, it is…" She paused, searching for a word. "… A state of being." She said. "Not really you're species, but what you are." 

            Miroku and Sango looked at her uncomprehendingly. She sighed. "Well, take Kagome for example. She is a Miko." 

            Sango and Miroku nodded in unison. 

            Atma smiled at them. "She cannot stop being a Miko, and she would easily recognize another miko, wouldn't she? Well, it is the same with being an ancient wyrm. There can be only one, and for a while, Vadise was that one. However, at some point, I became the ancient wyrm, and she wasn't any longer." 

            Sango's eyebrows perked. "Just like that?" 

            Atma nodded. "She recognized that I was the leader now, and stepped down for the good of the race." She said happily. "However, Vadise was always an odd one, and I think that she was rather relieved to be gone. She was a leader in very… troubled times." 

            Miroku nodded. "I think I understand…" He said. "So, you dragon's do not have classes, so much as simply instincts of each person's roll?" 

            Atma nodded, pleased. "Yes. For a while, we didn't even call the roll anything, it was just sort of there." 

            Sango raised an eyebrow. "But… "She said. "What if someone didn't listen to their instinct, and simply try to take over?" 

            Atma chuckled. "Well, that doesn't happen to often. Dragons aren't really naturally selfish, and most often, following the one who is the "Ancient wyrm" is the best course of action for anybody. However, there are a few who attempt to go against the instinct." 

            Miroku nodded. "And one of them was Morkleb." 

            Atma nodded. "Sorry, out of cookies, but that's right." She said. "Historically, there are three dragons that went against instinct." She said. "The first was quite a while ago. And that is one you know very well." 

            Sango and Miroku looked at each other. "Us?" The former asked. 

            Atma nodded. "You remember the story of the Shikon Jewel, do you not?" 

            Miroku nodded. "The priestess Midoriko fought off a very powerful youkai. However, in the end, it proved too strong, and their souls merged into a single jewel, still fighting today." He said. 

            Atma chuckled. "Young man, I knew Midoriko personally and there is not a youkai alive who could match her. No, Midoriko fought with one of the most powerful dragons in history." 

            Miroku thought for a moment, and then nodded. "So, that is why it is so powerful." He said. 

            Atma nodded. "The second, was Ryuukotsusei, who was actually supposed to act as the leader, but instead went to held a Chinese youkai named Hyoga invade mainland Japan." 

            Sango nodded. "And he is the one who struck the killing blow on InuTaisho." She finished. 

            Atma's eyes suddenly shut tight, and she growled slightly. "Yes…" She said eventually. 

            Miroku slowly turned to Sango and shook his head. "No." He mouthed. 

            Sango's eyes twitched from Atma to Miroku, and idly wondered what the dragon's connection to InuTaisho was. She obviously knew him, but how well, and on what grounds? 

            Atma cleared her throat suddenly, interruption her thoughts. "Anyway, and the third was Morkleb, who struck right when Vadise left, trying to cease power for himself." She chuckled bitterly. "I was weaker then, but then again, so was he. He tried to take power, and I led several dragons to defeat him." 

            Miroku's eyebrows perked. "But why did you leave him alive?" He asked. 

            Atma chuckled. "Who said we won?" She asked. "Morkleb was very strong, and had the uncanny talent to be able to combine his spiritual powers with his magical and physical strength better that Vadise herself was able to. He wiped us out, all except for me, Tiamet, and Gelledius, all of whom you've met." She said. "I had to go crawling to Vadise, and beg her to help…" She said, shame beginning to cloud her voice. 

            "But I was surprised when I actually met Vadise." She said, laughing slightly. "She was odd, and I discovered that we had something very special in common." 

            Miroku looked up. "What was that?" HE asked. 

            Atma shook her head. "It is between me and her." She said. "However, she agreed to help, and then imprisoned the rouge dragon to the southern most tip of the island." 

            Miroku thought for a moment, "But left him there, for you to dispose of." He said. 

            Atma nodded. "It was my responsibility, and the moment a leader starts relying on other people to do everything, is the day her downfall starts. You should have support, and you're people's love, but you should also be strong enough to solve problems on your own." 

            Miroku nodded. "The philosophy of a great leader." He said. 

            Atma nodded happily. "Yep." She said. "However, at the same time, you should be able to ask for a little help, here and there." She said suggestively. 

            Miroku and Sango exchanged knowing glances. "Right, and you want us to help you get rid of this little problem, while at the same time getting Shippo back, hmm?" She asked. 

            Atma nodded happily. "And it would be a great way to get to know your brother!" She said cheerfully. "I apologize for whipping his memories, but he was slightly suicidal when I found him, and a dead dragoon doesn't really make a good brother, does it?" 

            Sango glanced up at Kohaku. 

            Kohaku turned to her. "You are to be my new mistress?" He asked. 

            Atma rolled her eyes. "He never really got the hang of the informal thing." She said. "You're probably better at that than I am, so try to get him back to the way he was." She rubbed the back of her head slightly. "I'm afraid his memory will never fully come back. Only bits and pieces here and there." She said. 

            With that, the leader of the dragon race turned east. "Well, ladies and gentlemen, pack you're bags, cause were gonna go kill ourselves a dragon!" She declared cheerfully. 


	47. Visitor

            Okay, just for the record, this chapter has a lot of jumping around in it, so just try to stay on top of things, okay? 

            Oh, and as promised, I'm updating, so someone should give me pocky. Now. POCKY! 

**

            "Well, are we all ready to go?" Atma asked cheerfully, sighing contentedly in the process. 

            Sango stretched slightly, and jogged in place. "Incredible!" She said happily. "No pain at all!" She massaged her leg. IT was hard to believe that just about three hours ago it had been broken. 

            Miroku nodded, and smiled at her. The youkai hunter always looked so good when she was stretching. Very good. That's it… touch you're toes… little further… hmm…

            "Sango?" Sango looked up from her stretching. Kohaku stood resolutely and firmly in front of her, a curios expression on his face. 

            Sango inwardly winced. There had been a certain tension going between them for a while. She had spent so long looking for Kohaku, now that she had him back, she didn't know what to say. 

            "Is it customary to stare at you while you stretch as the monk is doing?" He asked. 

            Atma and Kitty just barely managed to contain a giggle, and Sango turned very slowly, murder in her eyes. Miroku just managed a nervous laugh before Sango reached him. 

            "Ow." Miroku managed to squeak, five minutes later, still curled in a fetal position. 

            Sango clapped her hands together, and nodded. "I think we're ready to go now." She said happily.       

            Atma nodded, and laughed slightly. "Okay, then lets be on our way." 

            Kitty, Sango, and Miroku nodded (The latter with much effort,) and began heading out of the makeshift camp, heading east. 

            "Erm…" Atma said, holding up a finger, "Where are you going?" She asked. "Aren't we gonna go get Shippo back? 

            Sango turned slightly, looking at the sky. "This is east, isn't it? She asked, trying to grasp her bearing by the stars. 

            Atma nodded slightly. "Yeah…" She said. "But… you were gonna walk?" 

            Sango shrugged. "I suppose so." She said. 

            Atma shrugged back. "Well… okay?" She said. 

            Sango gave the dragon a weird look, and turned around, and began to stalk forward, climbing a monstrous dune. As she reached the top, Kitty and Miroku trailing behind her, she stopped suddenly, looking down. Standing at the bottom of the dune, was Atma, smiling up at her, and waving. She stopped suddenly, and turned around. Atma was facing the opposite direction at the bottom of the dune, waving to the top of a far one. 

            Her gaze turned up, and there, at the top of the hill, was Sango. Her eyes crossed slightly, and her hand went to her head. The other Sango's hand went to her hand as well. Abruptly, she turned around, and eyed the dune on the other side. Miroku and Kitty were climbing up to the peak, where yet a third Sango was positioned on the top, also with her hand on her head. 

            "So, are you ready to do it my way yet?" Atma called up to her, grinning. 

            Sango sat down heavily, and nodded. She had a sneaking suspicion that if she climbed the next dune, Atma would be at the bottom of that one too. 

            Atma smiled, and snapped her fingers happily. 

            The desert seemed to disappear underneath them, and was replaced with completely different scenery, a beautiful oasis, with crystal clear water, palm trees, and little patched of tropical plants. 

            And Sango was still at the same altitude as the top of the dune. With a startled scream, she, Kitty, and Miroku all plummeted and landed squarely in the middle of the pool. 

            The all sputtered to the surface, and swam to the edges, gasping for breath. 

            Atma attempted miserably to hold in a laugh, as the three straggled out of the water, and shook themselves off. 

            Atma sighed. "We'll be staying the night here." She said happily. "You can't fight an indecently powerful creature while you're tired you know!" 

            Sango and Miroku looked at each other around wet hair, and sighed. 

**

            The was a sharp rap on the door. 

            Mrs. Higurashi sighed, and went to open the door, putting down the shirt that she was folding. 

            She opened the door cautiously. If it was one of Kagome's friends, then she would not be happy. They had been coming in every day, wondering if the girl was back yet. She had fed them some story about InuYasha being part of a specialized research team, and them going to try a few new healing processes on Kagome, but now they stopped in once every hour, checking if she was back yet. 

            Granted, it wasn't totally a lie. InuYasha _was _part of a special team, and he was probably going to find some revolutionary cure. Of that, Mrs. Higurashi had no doubt. She had seen enough of InuYasha just in his frequent visits to know about him. Pigheaded, ignorant, and arrogant, but still a good boy. She knew she could count on him to save her daughter. 

            As the door opened, Mrs. Higurashi looked up, and was pleasantly surprised to see not one of Kagome's friends, but rather a tall, young woman in her rough mid twenties. 

            She opened the door the rest of the way, and bowed slightly in greeting. "Greetings." She said. "Welcome to the Higurashi shrine."          

            "Good evening Mrs. Higurashi." Said the woman, looking coolly at the shorted woman. "I understand you have a daughter who was recently injured." 

            Mrs. Higurashi unconsciously rolled her eyes. _Great! An insurance seller. _"Yes, I'm afraid so." She said patiently, preparing to reject whatever offer she was about to hear. 

            "Is she back from the feudal ages yet?" She woman asked. 

            "I'm sorry, but we're not interested in any _WHAT?_" Mrs. Higurashi said politely. 

            "Is Kagome back from the feudal ages yet?" The woman asked again patiently. 

            Mrs. Higurashi stared at the woman, for once at a loss for words. "Um…" 

            The woman sighed. "I'll take that as a no." She said downcast. "God! InuYasha is so slow!" She grumbled. "I can't believe that hanyou still isn't back yet!" 

            Mrs. Higurashi blinked slightly, for the first time paying attention to who was at her front door. Now that her mind was actually alert, she saw as total oddness what she dismissed as the latest fashion just moments ago. The girl had long spiky green hair, starting at light green at the roots, and then growing to a deep, dark pine green at the tips. Her face seemed to be tanned to perfection, and her features were perfect, high cheekbones, slightly curved eyes, and a purely exotic air, with no definable ethnicity. And her eyes were just creepy. They were a deep molten emerald green. No pupils, no white, just green. Her ears were obscured by her poofy spikey hair, but from what Mrs. Higurashi saw of the, they weren't human ears. Her clothes were just as odd. They were all deep forest camouflage design. A baggy T-shirt in the pattern, under an army stile vest, and baggy pants, all in various hues of green. She wore no shoes though, and her toenails were long, and tapered down to points, much like InuYasha's claws did. 

            Mrs. Higurashi nodded slightly. "And you would be a youkai." She said assuredly. 

            The woman chuckled. "Not quite." She said. "But close." She seemed to think for a moment. "You may call me… Celest." She said, nodding to herself quietly. "I need to speak with Kagome when she returns. I will wait for her." 

            Mrs. Higurashi opened her mouth to object, but something in her said that it would be suicide to say anything. 

            Discomforted, she found herself at a loss for words. "Would you like some tea while you wait?" She asked finally. 

            Celest turned slightly, and held up a hand. A teacup materialized in it. 

            "Hey!" Came Souta's voice from in the house. "Where's my tea go?" 

            Celest smiled as she took a sip. "Thanks." She said. 

            Mrs. Higurashi could only watch in astonishment as the… whatever-she-was walked over to the great god tree, stepped over the little fence, leaned up against the warm smooth bark, and sipped her tea. 

~~

            Shippo definitely didn't like this place. He could swear that he had passed the same pile of skeletons three times now, and that patch of dried up burnt ground really looked familiar… 

            "Ow!" He yelled suddenly looking down as a sharp pain bit into his foot. HE had stepped down on a little cactus. The little fox winced, and sucked at his paw slightly, trying to dislodge the needles. 

            "Stupid cactus." He said, along with some other more colorful vocabulary he had learned from InuYasha. Kagome always said he shouldn't say those words, but they seemed appropriate right now. 

            The thought of Kagome shot a little shard of worry through his heart. Was she alright? InuYasha had better save her! If he didn't, Shippo would… Shippo would… Shippo would… 

            The little kitsune stomped onward, dreaming of all the nasty things he would do to the hanyou. 

            Behind him, the cactus shriveled and died. A little shadow crept away from it, trailing the kitsune stealthily. 

~~

            Sango sat on a rock quietly, inspection her reflection in the crystal clear water. It was harder to see now. Her left eye was ruined. Already, though, she was getting used to how to tell distance with only one eye. It was odd… you never really notice how wonderful you're body works… what a miracle it is that everything goes just right… until something goes wrong. 

            Her hair was shorter now too. Atma's healing had done little more than speed its growth. It was now short, almost boyish, poofing out and surrounding her head like a miniature lion's mane. 

            She sighed slightly, tipping a rock into the pool, distorting the reflection. When the ripples died away, the reflection of Miroku was right there beside her. She rolled her eyes, and prepared to shove the lecher off. She was in no mood to be groped over tonight. 

            Before the hand could connect, Miroku started speaking. 

            "It's odd, isn't it, how fast things change?" He asked. "It was less than three weeks ago that all this started." He said. 

            Sango gave him a sharp look. Miroku didn't often talk like this. 

            "I know that for a fact." He stated, holding up his right hand for evidence. "Sometime, probably in the next year, I will die one of the most painful deaths one could possibly imagine." He said his voice firm with acceptance. "It happened to my father, and my grandfather, and it will more than likely happen to me… only now there will be no-one to continue the hunt for the demon responsible." He said. "I suppose that this is the reason that I got so angry when I found that InuYasha was looking for Vadise while Kagome was dying." He chuckled bitterly. "I also know what it's like to not know when something good is going to end." 

            Sango looked at him, her hard expression softening. 

            "You've tasted it yourself, you know." He said. "We all have. InuYasha lost Kikyo, I have my wind tunnel, and you…" 

            "Kohaku…" Sango mouthed silently. 

            Miroku nodded. "Second chances are rare, Sango." He said. "And you have been dealt one." He chuckled slightly. "I will say many things about Atma, but she is a good soul at heart. You can trust her, and you can believe her when she says that she has returned Kohaku to you." His hand gently reached over and brushed her cheek. "We must all learn to live, and become happy with the simple gifts we are given." The hand retracted, and he slipped off the rock. "Do not let this gift pass you up, Sango." He said softly, and walked away. 

            Sango stared at him… then shifted her gaze over to her brother, sitting across the pond, starring into the clear water silently. 

            She sighed, and stood up. They had a lot of catching up to do. 

            As the youkai hunter slowly started around the lake, heading for her brother, Atma smiled to herself from under a tree. 


	48. Vadise's Glade

            POCKY! *Runs around in happy little circles waving massive amounts of Pocky in the air* 

**

When Kagome awoke, her eyes met two glowing golden spheres. She gasped slightly, and scooted backwards awkwardly. It was dark… very dark. In fact, the only light in the cave was barely filtering in, and reflected off InuYasha's eyes. 

            Slowly, the memories of events last night oozed back into her head. She swallowed nervously. What if InuYasha was succumbing to his Youkai side again? She nervously edged away, preparing to "sit" for all she was worth. 

            "Kagome" His voice rang out. 

            The miko stopped, and held still, the incantation on the tip of her tongue. 

            "We… need to talk…" He said slowly, carefully, sensing Kagome's nervousness. 

            Kagome nodded slightly, having no doubt that the hanyou could see her, despite the insufficient lighting. 

            "I know that nothing can change what I did last night…" He said slowly. He was very definitely thinking his words through carefully… not that she could blame him. "But for what it's worth, I'm sorry…" 

            Kagome inhaled sharply. She recognized that tone of voice. This was more serious than she thought. He was taking the events very hard. 

            "I'll see you to Vadise…" He said, his amber eyes closing, leaving her totally in the dark. "And after that… I'll leave. You won't have to see me again." 

            Kagome frowned slightly. Her now constant headache growing slightly, right below her right eye, and she could feel her insides churning. 

            "InuYasha…" She said, softly, realizing that she had to be very careful here. A single wrong word could mean disaster. After all, it wasn't InuYasha's fault! He was only human… or something like it! Did he think he was a saint? IT was his youkai blood that forced him. 

            In the back of her mind, a small amused voice noted that never even once did she consider holding it against him… Never once did she consider being angry. Well, tough! 

            "InuYasha…" She said, sensing that something else was bothering him than the apparent problem at hand. "Are you a saint?" She said carefully. 

            InuYasha's eyes opened, and he laughed bitterly. "Apparently not." He said. 

            "Are you some sort of martyr?" She asked, planning her words very carefully; no easy task with that damn headache. 

            InuYasha's eyes shook back and forth. 

            "And you have youkai blood in you." She said simply. "InuYasha, how on earth could you think I'd be mad at you?" She said forgivingly into those glowing orbs. "Honestly, you were overcome for a moment! That's not you're fault." 

             The eyes widened for a moment, then closed, then opened again. "You mean…" He said softly.  

            Kagome shrugged. "I mean that if you even think of leaving me, or the rest of the group, I'll "Sit" you until you make your own well!" She said happily, blissfully unaware that InuYasha was suddenly sent crashing to the ground. 

            Slowly, the hanyou got back up to his sitting position and starred at her. "Kagome…" He asked. "Do you mean that?" 

            She cocked her head, and smiled at him. "Of course, InuYasha…" She said. "I would never want you to leave." 

            "Kagome…" The tone of his voice changed, becoming more uncertain. "Thank you… for everything." 

            "InuYasha?" Kagome asked, confused. She had never heard him use this tone of voice before. 

            "Ever since I met you, you treated me well. You were kind, sharing, and accepting. The most you ever noticed that I was a hanyou was when you scratched my ears." He said. "And even now, you don't even consider getting mad, even though I almost raped you." 

            Kagome blinked slightly, and blushed under the heavy praise, and slightly from the upfront bluntness. 

            "But, Kagome…" He continued. "Last night, it wasn't my youkai blood… like you think." His voice trembled slightly. "It was everything, the human, the youkai, everything. 

            Kagome inwardly gasped. She knew how much instinct ruled InuYasha's life. To fight both sides… "And you resisted…" She said softly. 

            The eyes bobbed up and down in a nod. "It wasn't me…" He said softly. "Kagome, there's something about you… It helped me…" The eyes blinked at her. "Kagome, please, don't leave me…" He said. "I need you're help…" 

            InuYasha? Admitting he needed _help_? He must be really shaken up about this! 

            She chuckled slightly, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, I suppose I could try…" She said thoughtfully, in a heavily exaggerated voice.  "I guess going from "Shard detector" to "instinct restrainer" is a bit of a promotion." She plastered a big grin over her face, despite the pain she felt in her head. 

            InuYasha chuckled despite himself. "Well, since we're both all rested up, we should probably get going." His voice turned serious. "I don't remember how long you have left, but it's not much." He admitted. 

            Kagome sighed slightly, the pain increasing slightly, only evidence of what she already knew. "I've got until tonight, assuming everything goes according to schedule." She said softly. 

            InuYasha didn't speak, but his eyes nodded assent. He understood. "Well, then, we should go." 

~~

            Sango, Miroku, Kitty, and Kohaku all stood on the border between the desert and the "Badlands." It was literally, a border. It was as if someone had painted a big glowing, shiny line, and put the desert on one side, and badlands on the other. Essentially, someone had. 

            Atma walked casually up behind them. "Well, this is it." She said happily. "Once were in there, it wont take long to find Shippo, and when we find Shippo, Morkleb will be there. 

            Sango sighed. "I don't like that…" She said. 

            Kohaku nodded slightly. "We'll need to get Shippo out of there fast, if we're to be able to fight effectively." 

            Miroku nodded assent, happy that the tension between Sango and Kohaku had gone. 

            Atma nodded, and flared her wings out. "Well, then, it's time." She said happily, walking to step over the border. About a foot away, she paused. 

            There was the faint tingling of power that Miroku always felt as she used magic. Her wings flared out, her cape fluttering around her. Her tail stopped twitching, and straitened elegantly, and her armor seemed to become more lustrous. Her back straitened, and her chin came up, her head facing strait ahead. Her odd eyes opened wider, casting their mysterious black aura all about. Her mouth set in a strait determined line. She nodded. "I have waited for this, for a long time…" She said, her voice no longer the immature little girl's they had come to know. "Let us go!" She said, and with that, Atma, every inch the leader of the dragon race, stepped forward into the badlands.

~~

            High in the mountains, a mighty glacier stood, forming a ring around a small valley. A blizzard had rocked the mountains, but had not touched the valley. Deep in the center, something waited. 

~~

            The heavy snow moved slightly, shifting and cracking. Then, it exploded outward as a red-clothed figure burst out of it. 

            InuYasha nodded slightly as he landed, his sensitive nose already telling him that no-one was around. He turned and nodded to Kagome as she slowly climbed out of the tunnel of ice. "No sign of the dragon." He called. "Let's get going."             

            Kagome nodded gratefully, and before she knew it, she was on his back, and bolting through the snow life a rabbit. 

            Suddenly, they ran out of snow to run on. One minute, it was there, and another it wasn't… but then again, there was a good ten feet of snow on the ground, so there wasn't really any earth to stand on, either. InuYasha dropped suddenly, and landed nimbly on his feet, turning to swear at the offending wall of snow. 

            "Oh!" Kagome gasped from behind him, sliding off his back. 

            InuYasha glared threateningly at the snow, and turned around. And stopped dead. 

            There, in the middle of the mountains was a beautiful valley. It was lush with plants of all shapes and sizes, and exotic birdcalls echoed from inside. A flock of tiny, multicolored birds took flight from the top branches of one of the toweringly giant trees. 

            Great tropical reds and blues came from all sides, and huge-leafed bushes covered the ground. Incredible creepers hung from every branch, creating a private little world, away from everything else. 

            They had found the forest of Vadise. 

**

            They's finally there! But don't worry, it's not over yet! Next chapter is the big clash with Morkleb! What'll Happen? (Twilight Zone music) Doo Dee Doo Dee. 


	49. Morkleb

            Hello *Is talking from under massive pile of Pocky* Well, I'm sort of buried in Pocky right now, but I have a proposition. In this chapter, Sango remembers a quote. IF you can tell me what book it's from, and who the author is, then I'll give you the entire pile of pocky that remains uneaten. Hehe. Good luck. 

**        

No wonder it was called the badlands! The ground was cracked and dry, and all the plants were charred, withered, and black. 

            Sango regarded one, and poked it with her foot. It crumbled into dust. 

            She turned back to regard Atma and the others. "Well?" She asked. The second they had crossed the border, the desert had disappeared… naturally. 

            Sango was getting very fed up with all this magical scenery. "So, I suppose you just magic us to where Shippo is?" She asked. 

            Atma smiled, and pointed of on the horizon. There was a little bump sticking out of the perfectly flat scenery. "I don't have to." She said. 

            Sango looked at the dragon, her head turned slightly at an angle. "How do you do that?" She asked plaintively. 

            "Very carefully." Atma said happily, and gazed up at the dark, cloudy sky. "We should be meeting him soon." She said, then turned to the rest of the group. "Listen." She said, her voice suddenly serious. "This guy is ruthless." She said. "But he's arrogant. He appears, we attack, instantly. He likes flashy magic and the sound of his own voice, so use that to our advantage. And don't give him time to concentrate." She briefed. 

            All three nodded in unison. 

            "Good!" Atma said, back to her cheery, happy self. "Well then, let's get ready!" 

            All three nodded, Kitty unsheathing her claws, Miroku readying his staff, and Sango… 

            Sango looked down at herself, then turned to Atma. "Umm…" She prompted. 

            "You already have weapons." The dragon replied. 

            Sango opened her mouth to object, then thought better of it. If Atma said she had weapons, then she had weapons. She shrugged, and drew the slim Katana that was suddenly at her side, and felt the comforting weight of a giant boomerang as it pressed against her back. Briefly, she looked over her shoulder, and saw with relief that it wasn't just any boomerang, but her good old Hiraikotsu. 

            Grinning slightly for the first time all day, she turned around, and slowly waited as the little speak that was Shippo proceeded towards them. 

~~  
            Shippo was getting very tired of walking. In fact, he was getting very tired of doing anything… and hungry… and thirsty… and tired… and sleepy… _my paws itch… my tail is sore… I want some ramen… what time is it… I just stepped on a cactus… again…_

Suddenly, his eyes caught something on the horizon. There were some little bumps sticking out of the flatness. His heart beat increased as his little youkai eyes attempted to make out what it was in the distance. Was that? It was! One of the figures had a giant boomerang! It was Sango! 

            He pepped up instantly, troubled forgotten, and started a quick sprint sending him tearing across the landscape. 

            Silently, a little shadow chased along the ground just behind him.

~~

            "Looks like he's spotted us." Miroku observed, as the little dot quickly got bigger and bigger. 

            Atma nodded, "Yep, and Morkleb's just steps behind him. You might wanna get ready to get the little Kit out of here." She advised. 

            "Miroku, Sango!" a little childlike voice rang out. 

            The little Kitsune covered the last hundred yards like lightning, trekking over the ground in great leaps. 

            Sango smiled at the little Kitsune's exuberance, but kept one eye out for the enemy. 

            "Look." Miroku said, pointing beyond the little kitsune. There, racing along the ground, was a shadow. It wasn't just a dark figure, it was almost as if the person had left, but their shadow remained. 

            Sango's eyes narrowed, and she nodded, putting her hand on the hiraikotsu's leather handle. 

            Atma grinned, and held out a hand. "Hello, Morkleb." She said cheerfully, and suddenly the shadow seemed to run into some sort of invisible wall. It suddenly stopped, and seemed to squish out into a thin line, then pool together, becoming a simple puddle of darkness on the already dark ground. 

            Shippo finished the last sprint, and threw himself into Sango's arms. "You're alright!" He announced happily, giving her a massive hug around the neck. 

            "I'm glad to see you okay too, Shippo." She said, attempting to dislodge the happy kitsune, keep and eye on the dark puddle, and not suffocate at the same time. 

            Then, Shippo noticed Atma. Their eyes met in shock for just two moments. Atma grinned and waved. Shippo screamed bloody murder, and dropped to his but, pointing. 

            "What's _she doing here?" He demanded, murder in his eyes. _

            "I just saved you're butt, little kit." She said, her eyes returning to the dark puddle. "Now, I have work to do, stay out of my way, and you won't be hurt." 

            The kitsune threw a mistrustful gaze at her, then looked back up at Sango, then noticed Kohaku and Kitty. "What about them?" HE asked. 

            Sango nodded down at them. "They're friends." She said affirmatively. 

            Shippo looked suspicious, but then nodded.

            "Now, If you would please get behind us before you die a horrible death, it would be appreciated." Atma said sarcastically. 

            The kit paled, and dashed behind Sango, hiding behind her leg. He recognized the "Watch-out-there's-a-hulking-monster-behind-you" tone of voice, and didn't want to see what it was. 

            "Well…" A deep oily voice echoed from the pits of the shadow. "Atma… it's been… a while." It said, and slowly, the shadow began to take form. Slowly, Morkleb rose out of the shadow, his head first. Long dark hair dripped off his scalp in long elegant locks. His face was finely chiseled and pale, and his eyes looked almost like Atma's, and aura of darkness radiated from them. 

            Sango's eyes narrowed as lighting began to flash, and darkness spilled forth from the pool as he rose. _He _does _like to show off! _

Sango, however, never really got to see the rest of him in the deep splendor, because at that point Atma decided to hurl an almost solid ball of force at his head. 

            The ineffable thing stuck him head on, knocking the rest of the way out of the shadow, destroying the lighting bolts and the darkness. Morkleb fell backwards in a heap of undignified cape, black armor, and flesh. 

            Instantly he rose to his feet, two pairs of sleek clack wings spurting from his back over a velvety black sable cape, clad in full body plate plate mail. His eyes curved down in anger. "How dare you?" He demanded. 

            Sango sighed, and let fly. The unexpected hiraikotsu caught him squarely in the jaw, knocking back again. 

            This time, he didn't even stand up. He flew up suddenly, and hovered in the air about five feet above the ground. "Enough!" He roared. 

            Kohaku's sickle flew up, hooking expertly into the top of the breastplate, and ripping it off, revealing a fine knit tunic underneath. 

            The dragon looked down at his missing breastplate in shock, then looked back up, annoyed. 

            A sutra from Miroku struck him square in the face, and flawed into a burning white-hot flame. 

            He yelled in surprise, and ripped the sutra off, only to be knocked to the ground as a massive bolt of lightning struck from Atma's fingers. 

            He lay still, smocking slightly, not moving an inch. 

            Sango relaxed slightly. "Was that it?" She asked, almost disappointed. 

            Atma turned to her, and laughed sarcastically. "Nope." She said. "It's just sinking in that he's not gonna be able to show off for us. Now the real fight begins. 

            "Well good!" Kitty announced. "I didn't even get a hit in, and after you got all me all worked up, too!" She pouted. 

            Atma rolled her eyes, and pointed to the ground smoothly. Morkleb's body disappeared, and reappeared bursting from the earth towards the little neko girl. Atma's lightning bolt shot out, but Morkleb simply flashed his gaze at it, turning it upwards. 

            The dragon continued his path of destruction, but Kitty was ready for him, countering his slashes with her own, both their claws bared as they began to slash ferociously at each other. 

            Kitty dashed under one of his slashing claws, and came up right across his face with her own… or at least would have. Morkleb disappeared, then reappeared behind her, sweeping her off her feet with a sing kick, then disappeared, and reappeared at her side, brining on heel down on her back savagely, then disappeared again as Sango's Hiraikotsu flew over the cat girl's prone form. He reappeared just above the weapon, jumped off it, knocking it to the ground, and phased to right in front of the youkai hunter's face. 

            Sango felt five pinpricks as five claws gazed her face, then Morkleb's hard palm came down into her nose with a sickening crack. 

            Miroku swing his staff up, and swung it down on Morkleb's back. The dragon, however, disappeared again, casing the staff to continue in an arc into Sango's stomach. His eyes widened as he was suddenly unbalanced, and then again in panic as Morkleb grabbed him with both pair of wings, and screamed in pain as the razor claws pistoned in and out of his back at lightning speed, then, there was a sharp pain at the base of his neck, and his world went black. 

            Morkleb let go of the monk, and let him slump to the ground, unconscious, then turned to Atma. His smile was arrogant, and deeply cunning. "Well, that was pathetic." He said, holding up his claws. He glanced slightly at Kohaku, and the young youkai slayer keeled over. "How about you? Have you gotten any better?" 

            Atma smiled slightly. "Would you like to see?" She asked, smiling grimly. 

            The blow caught him unguarded. HE flew back at least twenty feet, howling in pain the entire way. Atma's wings flared out, her eyes closed, and the rest of her body became relaxed, hovering maybe six inched above the ground. Her hair whipped upwards, and slowly the space around her began to distort. The ground and air curled around her, tearing free from normal reality, and wrapping her in an unearthly aura. Morkleb staggered to his feet, and growled slightly. 

            "You're on my turf, Atma!" He growled. "You cannot win!" With that, he struck out, unseen blows raining down on Atma's aura, and simply bounding away like pebbles. The aura was spreading now, eating away at the fabric that defined real and fake. 

            "Correction." She hissed. "You are now on _my _turf." She held up two claws, and the aura whipped out, like some and unearthly tentacle, and slashed at Morkleb. The ground that it touched oozed away, almost like a shell. 

            Slowly, the scenery oozed away, putting them in absolute darkness, the only light was that which Atma gave off. 

            Morkleb looked left, then right, then smiled. "Well, I now see why the call you the wyrm of darkness." He said. "You can go to the 'dark' at will." 

            Atma nodded. "A wonderful little dimension all to my own." She said happily. "And now I've mastered going there." She smiled. "Tell me, can you fight me here, Morkleb?" 

            Morkleb smiled, and shook his head. "No, but I can get out easy enough, as long as you're here." 

            Atma perked her eyebrow and smiled. "Care to try?" 

            Morkleb smiled, and shrugged. "There are many leaks to this place." He said. "That monk, for example. His 'wind tunnel' is a hole to this place, among others. There are many ways to get out." He said. "I'll just take the easiest one." 

            With that, he threw his hands out, and pushed. 

~~

            "Hey!" A little childlike voice pushed at Sango. "Wake up!" 

            Sango awoke with a start, a piercing pain in her face. She looked over, and Shippo was looking up at her with concern in her face. 

            "Where's everyone else?" She asked. 

            Shippo gestured to the ground around them. The various fighters were all laying still and unconscious. Quickly she stood up, ignoring the pain in his head, and checked them each. Morkleb had not held back at all… Kitty had a broken spine, and wouldn't be coming out anytime soon, and Kohaku was barely breathing. She leaned over his face, feeling his cheek. 

            No! This couldn't happen! Not after she had just got him back! He had to live. She would get Atma to help him! 

            But… Where was Atma? 

            There was a slight groan from he left, and Miroku slowly staggered to his feet. Almost instantly, he was awake, and looking about. "Where is Morkleb?" He asked, ever keeping his eyes on the target. 

            Sango shrugged, hefting the hiraikotsu. 

            Shippo looked up, and pointed. "You think their under that?" He asked. 

            They followed his finger, and gaped. 

            The ground maybe twenty yards away was swelling upwards… but not in a natural way. It looked like it did when Atma distorted reality. 

            Then, the ground exploded upwards, Morkleb exploding out, and landing savagely on the ground. 

            Atma blasted out just seconds later, flaring with an indefinable aura surrounding her. Morkleb dodged back and forth, the heavy tingling of magic making Sango's short hair stand on end. 

            Miroku's eyes narrowed, and suddenly he keeled over, wincing. 

            Sango looked over, and with a sudden chill saw that the monk had horrible gashes running all the way down his back, and his neck was at an odd angle. 

            Miroku slowly rose to his feet, and grinned. "I've got a plan!" He said. "Give me you're Katana!" 

            Sango looked at him for a moment, and nodded. The Katana exchanged hands, and he smiled at her, a bit of blood dribbling at his lips. 

            Through the blows, Atma managed to look down at Miroku, and an imperceptible nod passed between them. Atma blasted down next to him, and her eyes flared open, the ground around her splintering as all her force went at Morkleb. 

            Miroku glanced towards Sango, and smiled at him. "We must all try to be happy with the meager gifts we are given. Kohaku is yours, but you were mine." He said, a smile plastering across his face. "Thank you Sango." 

            Sango's eyes widened in horror as the monk whirled around, reversed the blade, and slashed heavily across his right palm.


	50. Trials Begin

            Hey, umm. I just realized I never put the quote in last chapter, and I've eaten all my pocky by now anyway, so just forget it. (Pocky is a Japanese candy that tastes really good, for all those who asked.)

            Anywho, here ya go!

**        

Sango's eyes widened in horror as the great whirling vortex was unleashed. Miroku braced himself as best he could, while Atma stood right by him, the air and ground around her warping with all the sheer force she was sending at the opposing dragon. 

            Morkleb hovered in the center of the whirl, attempting desperately to resist the now incredibly strong pull of the wind tunnel, and Atma's magic. Sango's eyes widened as the dragon was slowly pulled downwards, screaming in rage, pain, and fury.  

            Atma grinned at him through the swirling vortex, and waved cheerfully. With one last blast, Morkleb doubled over, and was swept away by the current. 

            Atma smiled grimly, and turned to Miroku. He suddenly fell back to one knee, bracing himself against the force. Already he could feel the wind tunnel cracking open even wider. Pain was already stretching down his arm and into his shoulder. Slowly, he turned to Atma. "Hey…" He murmured an accepting smile on his face. With his left hand, he slowly reached into his robe, and procured a small piece of parchment. "Make sure Sango gets this." He gritted his teeth, and put all his effort into bracing himself. 

            Atma took in a sharp breath, and nodded, smiling at him. 

            With one mighty flap of his her wings, Atma sailed backwards, and landed lightly next to Sango. The youkai exterminator had one arm extended, reaching towards Miroku. The dragon fastened a hard hand on the girl's arm, and held her firm. 

            The monk slowly managed to guide his hand strait upwards, but the stream of air was continually getting wider every second. 

            With a cry of dismay, Sango watched in horror as he dropped suddenly to the ground, the wind driving him into the hard cracked earth, creating a massive crater around him. 

            Tears stung Sango's eyes, and her teeth gritted. This wasn't happening! It couldn't be happening! 

            With one smooth motion, Atma pulled her back, and shoved a piece of parchment into her hands. She looked at it, and then looked up at Atma in confusion. On the paper was two names. One was Miroku's, and the other was Sango's. Under each name was a series of tallies. Miroku had two, and Sango had about seven. What the hell was it? 

            "Miroku wanted me to give it to you." Atma said, her grip loosening ever so slightly. 

            Sango looked back at the paper, confused. Then, in realization, her eyes widened. 

~~

_            "It's a game!" Tiamet explained. "He tries to do something perverted, and you catch him." She winked at her, and smiled. "It's sometimes a way of showing affection. I guarantee he has a score card somewhere." _

_~~_

_            Syldra chuckled at her. "Well, guy's have many ways of telling you they love you. It can range from unreasonable shyness, all the way to incredible boldness." The serpent gave her a conspiratorial wink. "Or even excessive groping." _

_~~_

_            Miroku smiled at her, a bit of blood on his lips. "Kohaku was you're gift, but you were mine. Thank you, Sango-chan."_

~~

            Sango's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, God." She said, softly. 

            Atma turned to her, then back to the two prone fighters. "I'll take care of them." She said, letting go of Sango's arm. "Do what you will." 

            With that she turned her back, and walked away. 

            Sango turned again, looking back at the swirling vortex that drilled mercilessly into the dry earth. Her eyes narrowed, and then closed. 

            "I'm sorry, Kohaku." She said, and then sprinted, toting the hiraikotsu over her back, towards the wind tunnel. With a single, gigantic leap, she disappeared into the wind tunnel, and was sucked from sight. 

~~

            The forest was beautiful! The forest floor was lush with giant tropical bush, and towering giants rose, towering hundreds of feet over Kagome's head, their huge leaves fanning out and forming a complete canopy over her head. The trees were huge. They dwarfed even the God Tree! Her entire extended family could have wrapped their arms around it, and no-ones fingers would be touching! 

            And they all intertwined! One trunk grew up, then split apart, and went back into the ground, then did it again! You would be standing in-between twenty different trunks, and not realize that really, they were all one tree!

            And the forest canopy was just heavy enough that only greenish light filtered through, casting everything in an unearthly, beautiful aura. Kagome had always dreamed of seeing a tropical rain forest. This was like a dream come true for her! 

            The sheer beauty of it! It was enough to make her forget the ever incessant pain in her head, and her aching body. She could stay here forever! 

            There was a light thud behind her, and she turned around. InuYasha dropped out of his landing crouch, and stood up, crossing his arms arrogantly. "I checked around, but I didn't pick up anything." He said. "I guess we'll just have to just search around for a little while longer."

            Kagome nodded, smiling lightly. "Well, then, let's go!" She said happily. This place seemed to give her a sense of peace. It was cool, tranquil, away from all the trouble that was in the rest of the world. If she died here, she would die happy.

            InuYasha smiled back. "You want I should carry ya?" He asked. 

            Kagome shook her head. "No, I'll walk." 

            InuYasha nodded, and then they proceeded, side by side, deeper into the forest. 

~~

            "Well, well!" An easy sensual feminine voice said out of the canopy. "You're finally here."  

            InuYasha and Kagome both whipped their heads up to the canopy. 

            Like a rivulet of liquid fur, a large cat dropped out of the canopy. 

            Both InuYasha's and Kagome's eyes widened in shock. "Kirara?" They gasped in unison. 

            The firecat's shoulders moved up and down in a silent chuckle. "It took you long enough." She said haughtily. "Vadise really rather hopes that you'll make it in time." 

            InuYasha's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" She asked, "Where is she?" 

            "You can't see her?" Another voice asked reasonably? Joining Kirara, dropping out of the canopy, came a girl of about Kagome's age. 

            She was an odd girl, InuYasha could tell. She was dressed in thin gauzy, all white baggy clothes. Her hair was wild and unruly, hanging almost to her min neck, but poofing out like a lion's mane. It was completely white at the roots, but was died a light sky blue at the tips. Her eyes were the deepest emerald green, and her skin was dusky, and exotic. Sprouting out of the top of her crown of hair were two, beautiful white cat-ears, and a tiger striped tail protruded from the loose pants. Her face, arms, legs, and feet were all tiger striped in a darker brownish color. Her grin was wide, and exposed two sharp little fangs. 

            "You really and truly cannot see her?" The girl asked, putting her hands on the back of her head. "How very odd!" 

            InuYasha growled slightly. "Who the hell are you?" 

            The girl grinned at him. "No one of consequence." She said happily. "It must be just as well that you cannot see her." Changing subjects entirely, "You must show you're determination to save the girl anyway, so maybe you will see her afterward." 

            InuYasha cocked his head. "Are you insane?" He demanded. "We've traveled halfway across the known world! I'm not gonna be put of now! Where the hell is she?" He could already feel his youkai blood rising in his veins, and his human blood was getting agitated as well. 

            The girl smiled. "You will be tested." She said firmly. "You have experienced pain and hardship for each other, but now, you must experience more." 

            Kagome looked at this girl oddly. She was weird, and knew way too much about them. 

            "InuYasha." She said. "You once said you wouldn't let anything happen to Kagome. Do you mean that? Would you defend her with you're life." The girl turned towards Kagome. "And you, you said you would never leave him. Is this true? Would you stay by him through thick and thin?" 

            Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Of course!" She said. "I would never leave InuYasha when he needs me!" 

            The girl nodded slightly. "Yes… we shall see." 

            Kirara cocked her head to the side. "Explanations are in the making." She said. "You shall understand soon." 

            With that, the girl's eyes flashed, and InuYasha and Kagome were suddenly surrounded in darkness. 

~~

            InuYasha awoke slowly, putting his had to his head. "Kagome?" He called out, struggling to get up. 

            He opened his eyes slightly. He was in the forest, but in a different place. The light was almost gone, the trees were so thick. 

            …and Kagome was nowhere to be seen. 

            "Kagome?" He called again. "Kagome?" 

            There was a blood-chilling shriek that echoed throughout the forest. His eyes widened in panic. _That was Kagome! _

~~

            Kagome stood up uneasily. She was alone, in pitch darkness. 

            Her eyes traced around, trying to get a bearing of where she was. Slowly, walked forward, her arms reached out in front of her. There had to be somewhere she could go! 

            Her fingers brushed up against a piece of a tree. Well, it was something. Slowly, she began to feel her way along the length of the tree. 

            That was when she saw the eyes. They were burning and red, and curved down in hate. 

            "Kagome…" A low voice rasped. 

            Kagome gasped in horror. It was InuYasha.


	51. Tests

            Okay, for starters, I was really freaked out by this chapter. And I'm the author. That's scary. And I know what's gonna happen. I'll try to get another chapter up, such as to leave you in suspense as little as possible. Please keep with me. This has a happy ending, promise. 

            Just to answer a few questions: 

            Yes, the dragon's seem not to really obey the rules of culture and time (Given that they use rapiers and platemail, and such) Tyrell lived in close proximity, and that's why he has a rapier even though he lives in japan. 

            And to Tiger, honestly, it never once occurred to me to have Kagome see Inu and Kik together for her test. But I personally think that hers is much harder. Just read. 

**

InuYasha rushed through the forest like a fury. Trees, vines, undergrowth, all fell before his flying claws. Only one thought was on his mind. 

            "InuYasha!" Kagome's voice rang out again, quivering with fear. His ears instantly honed in on the voice, and she turned slightly left, barreling through the underbrush like a cannonball. 

            His eyes glowed with fury, and his hands flexed into lethal claws. 

            "InuYasha! Help!" The voice cried again, raising to a bloodcurdling level. 

            The hanyou sped up even faster, rushing forward at unheard of speeds. 

            "InuYasha!" Her voice cried out again, this time screaming in pain. 

            Tears formed on the hanyou's eyes as the forest itself swooped down to catch him, thorns tearing at his haori, and vines seeking to wrap themselves around him. 

            Again and again the pain-racked voice called his name. With one final roar, he burst through the last of the underbrush, and ran into a small grassy knoll. 

            His eyes traced round the clearing, sensing Kagome very near. 

            And then he saw her. 

            She was hanging by her arms, tied to an overhanging branch. Her head was bowed, and she was no longer calling his name. 

            "Kagome!" He called, stalking towards her. Then stopped. His amber eyes widened in horror. 

            The front of her blouse and skirt was soaked crimson. Blood ran in little rivulets down her legs, and dropped, in miniature crimson rubies to a scarlet puddle on the ground. 

            The hanyou took a step back. "Kagome…" He whispered in horror. 

            There were arrows sticking out of her. Needling her arms, legs and torso. 

            Slowly, the girl's head rose. "Inu…Ya..sh.." She said softly. Her face and hair were red as well, her lips stained a deep cherry. 

            Then her head dropped. InuYasha screamed. 

            He was at her side in and instant, her bonds cut, laying her in his arms. "Kagome…" He whispered. "Kagome!" "KAGOME!" 

            There was a low, satisfied chuckle from across the clearing.       

            InuYasha's tear streaked face rose, and glanced. 

            "Well, InuYasha…" Kikyo said in a slow, sinister voice, drawing another arrow to her freshly used bow. "What will you do now?" 

~~

            Kagome fell back, fear pressing against her heart. 

            InuYasha stood over her, flexing his claws purposefully, his smile sadistic and twisted. 

            She stumbled backwards, trying to scoot back while still sitting. "InuYasha…" She whispered, fear biting into her voice. 

            InuYasha's shoulders moved in a silent chuckle. 

            She managed to put her hands up on a tree behind her, and stand herself up. 

            InuYasha looked at her and took a step forward. She looked at him and took three steps back. 

            His smile increased, and his eyes narrowed at her. "Well, the little rabbit wants to play…" He said, grinning slightly at Kagome's involuntary quiver. "Well, then, I like a good hunt." 

            Kagome gasped, and barely managed to duck before his claws lashed out at her. Despite the sheer protests of her aching body, she managed to duck down, and dodge behind the tree, then start running as fast as her weak legs could carry her. 

            There had to be some way to get away! There was a laugh from above her, and she looked up desperately. In the dim light, she could see the outline of InuYasha shadowing her every move above in the trees. 

            She looked back, and suddenly stopped, despite the pain in her ankles, and reversed directions, diving for the sheltering roots of a partially uprooted tree. There was a thud, and through the clinging roots she could see InuYasha playfully approach the tree, laughing to himself slightly. 

            "Kagome…" He said in a slight sing-song voice. 

            Kagome tried not to whimper as she snuck deeper into the roots, but something must have escaped, for InuYasha instantly turned towards her. She gasped in fear as his eyes glowed a brighter red, and narrowed in glee. 

            Fear sunk every claw it had into Kagome totally paralyzing her. 

            With a single swipe, the roots separating them were reduced to pieces. 

            Kagome fell back again, scooting back as fast as she could, until her head butted back up against the giant tree. 

            _This is a dream! It has to be! She thought desperately, closing her eyes, trying to wake up. _

            She opened her eyes. They were staring right into red ones. 

            Her voice fled her. "Inu…" She managed to squeak. "Please…" 

            His grin widened horribly. Slowly, one finger reached forward. 

            _I'm going to die! _

            The  finger stopped. 

            Kagome's breath caught in her throat. Then her eyes widened in horror. 

            The finger dipped down, and touched the front of her blouse. 

            _Oh, god, no! _

Slowly, deliberately, the claw traced town, ripping the fabric. 

            _No! No, he wouldn't!_

No, it couldn't happen. She would wake up! She had to wake up! WAKE UP!

            _No! _

_            No! Oh, God, no! no… please… no. _

_            NO!_

**

            InuYasha stumbled back. "Kikyo…" He gasped, pain lancing his heart. "Kikyo, tell me you didn't do this." 

            The miko set a grim smile to her face, and the arrow flew, embedding itself in Kagome's corpse. "Why, InuYasha." She said, mockery thick in her voice. "I have my soul back now… I thought you'd be happy." 

            Slowly, one of her long, snakelike soul-gatherers flew by, depositing in her hands a burning blue flame of life. 

            She smiled at him. "InuYasha, we can live together now." She said. "I can be myself again. We can be happy! Come, join me." 

            InuYasha blinked at her, then glanced at Kagome's lifeless corpse. His youkai blood started pounding. 

            Kikyo smiled ecstatically, and held the soul up with both hands. _Kagome's soul.  _

            InuYasha's human blood screamed. 

            Kikyo clutched her right hand around the soul, preparing to absorb it. 

            All of InuYasha's heart, Mind, and soul screamed out in rage, in total, and complete unison. _KILL! _

Kikyo's arms disappeared in a spray of crimson, and InuYasha landed behind her, his claws dripping. 

            Kikyo turned to him, an expression of hurt betrayal on her face. 

            His eyes glowed a bright red, stripes running down his cheeks, his hair instantly becoming wilder, his fangs growing longer. 

            The miko's expression turned to one of fear. 

            Then she died. 

            InuYasha stood over her corpse, laughing insanely. It was over, all over! They were gone! Both gone! His laughter increased. 

            The darkness slowly came towards his consciousness, threatening to enfold him. He turned and embraced it, taking comfort in the angry storm. 

            Slowly, InuYasha faded away. 

            Only the rage remained. 

            InuYasha dashed away, slashing through the forest. 

            _RageHateKillBloodSorrowGriefPainSufferLoveAngerFuryMurderDeath!_

**

            Okay, then. If you're like me, then you're slightly depressed after reading this. But the tests have only just begun. The real tests come next chapter. Umm, please don't flame me for this. It'll turn out happy, I promise. Just keep reading. 


	52. Abandoned

            Sorry for the delay! I'm on a really tight schedule right now. Didn't even have time to speelcheck. I'll edit the grammar later. Enjoy! Gotta go to soccer practice!        

**

_No…_

One foot fell in front of the other. 

            _No… I hadn't happened. _

 Kagome hugger herself, tears running down her bruised face. 

            _It wasn't possible… _

Her clothes were in tatters. 

            _No… why… _

Scratches crisscrossed her skin. 

            _Dirty… so dirty…_

There was screaming from behind her. She didn't need to turn around to know it was InuYasha. 

            _Help… someone… help. _

The screaming grew louder, more panicked. More desperate. 

            _Please…_

The screaming abruptly stopped. There was a thud, and a sob. Kagome's back stiffened, and she kept on walking. One foot… then the other. 

            "Kagome!" InuYasha's broken voice rang out. "Kagome!" 

            Kagome stopped. 

            "Kagome…" 

            Slowly her head turned. 

            "Kagome… I'm…" 

            "You're _what?" Kagome's voice came harsh, steely. Her head turned. Her tear streaked face was contorted with barely contained rage. Her eyes were narrow, and he fist's clenched. "You're __sorry?" Her voice mocked._

            InuYasha looked up, his face stained with tears as well, his expression one of agony. "But…" 

            "but what?" Kagome's voice cracked, striking like a whip. She took an angry step towards the kneeling hanyou. "You think _sorry_ is good enough?" She demanded, her voice raising to hysteria, anger taking hold of her. "You _raped _me, InuYasha!" She screamed at him. 

            The hanyou looked at her despearately, and reached an arm forward, imploringly. 

            Kagome glared at it in disgust, and smashed it away, and whirled on her heel. 

            InuYasha staggered to his feet, still reaching for her. "Kagome… Please!" His voice broke again. "I'm sorry!" He half screamed. "I'm so… so sorry!" 

            Her hand clutched at her elbow. 

            Kagome's eyes widened in fury. Something snapped in her mind, and suddenly, something opened that hadn't been there before. 

            She whipped around in fury, and put her hand to his face. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed, her voice edging several octaves above hysteria. She felt a surge of power through her hand, InuYasha's eyes widened in pain. The sudden shock of the power knocked him back into the darkness beyond her vision.       

            With that, she whirled around, and ran, headlong into the darkness. 

~~

            InuYasha ran, his anger becoming his strength. A tree was in his way, so he moved it. The charred stump was quickly ground into the soft loam. His eyes glowed a bright, blood red. Drool ran down his jaws as he tore through the forest. He wanted blood… He wanted death… to everything. 

            His eyes focused and unfocused wildly, and his claws grew yet even longer. 

            Another tree got in his way. He didn't even stop to deal with it. It snapped as he ran into it like a twig, he didn't even slow as it fell. 

            He smelled something. It was warm, and fresh. He was getting nearer to it, and his blood raced harder in anticipation. 

            Then he found it. He was face to face with himself. 

            The youkai had long silver hair, and molten golden eyes. Two pointed, silver dog ears with black tips adorned his head. He wore a long flowing haori of white and red, and a pure, satiny hakama. He had two spiked shoulder guards over each arm. His long silver hair fell down loose and free. 

            InuYasha knew the man's scent, and his look. 

            InuYasha stood up strait, and stared his father, InuTaisho, the lord of the west, directly into the eyes. 

~~

            Kagome ran. She had to run. As long as she ran, the pain went away. Her mind screamed at her. Her heart ached at her. Her entire body felt like it was about to fall apart. It was over, all over! She would die here… alone… away from Sango and Miroku… away from Shippo… away from Kaede… away from Souta… away from her mom, and grandpa… alone… with no-one near. 

            Her head screamed in pain at the injustice. It wasn't fair. 

            Her heart screamed out her betrayal. She left him! She3 said she would never leave him! But she did! She abandoned him. 

            He abandoned me first! Her mind screamed back. He _raped me! _

            Her heart didn't care. 

            And her body could scarcely keep awake. 

            Kagome ran… ran from the hurt.

~~

            InuTaisho's mouth curled up in a scowl. "So… this is what you've come to…" He said in disgust, his voice, deep, sonerous, and regal. 

            InuYasha's response was to growl at him. 

            InuTaisho's eyebrow raised. "You are no better than a beast!" He said contemptuously. "You run to kill, like those savages of the mainland. You disgrace me!" His eyes narrowed, smoldering from the inside. 

            His son made an insane growling noise, and lunged. 

            InuTaisho sidestepped easily, snorting in contempt. There was a flash, and InuYasha seethed in pain, clutching his arm. Inutaisho reversed his grip on the long slender plain Katana, and snorted. "You are weak, InuYasha." He said. "I can't believe that I sired one such as you! You dare attack me with this pitiful form of your own creating?" 

            InuYasha staggered back, clutching his arm. His own creating? What was this old man talking about? Was he not a full youkai? Was he not truly the strongest he could be. 

            His father chuckled bitterly, and shook his head. "You think that _my blood could make you as savage as one such as this?" He demanded. "You dare disgrace me? Nay, InuYasha, this beast you have become comes from you, and only you! You may not blame it on me or you're mother!" With that, he turned, the Katana disappearing an a gout of flame. "You digrace me, and my name InuYasha. Until you are no longer this mad _thing, _you are not my son!" With that, InuTaisho disappeared. _

            InuYasha pounced on the spot where he had stood, and ripped the forest floor to shreds in rage. 

~~

            One foot in front of the other. Must press on… 

            Kagome could no longer run… but now exhaustion nulled the pain. 

            "Kagome!" A voice rang out. 

            Kagome looked up in shock, looking left and right. Then strait ahead. IT was like looking into a mirror. A mirror that altered you're clothing and complexion. 

            The other Kagome was paler, and wore a white haori, and a red hakama. Kagome new who she was. "Kikyo…" she breathed. 

            The older Miko smiled cruelly at her, her bow hanging loosely in her hand. "So… you prove yourself to be just as low as I thought."  

            Kagome stumbled back. "What do you mean?" 

            Kikyo clasped her hand's together mockingly, and batted her eyelashes. "I'll never abandon you, InuYasha!" She said in a perfect imitation of Kagome's voice.    Kagome took a step back, getting angry. "What was I supposed to do?" She demanded, trying to keep the pain out of her voice. "Run back and throw myself in his arms?" 

            Kikyo snorted in derision. "You are a failure! You failed to protect him from the demon inside him, and then you failed to even stay near him. Nothing has happened that is not you're fault, and even now, you run from you're failure! She spat venomously. 

            Kagome shook her head desperately, trying to cut the truth out of her ears. She, she hadn't let InuYasha down! It was his fault! Not hers! 

            "It's _all _your fault!" Kikyo hissed, her eyes burning. "_You let him down! You brought it upon yourself!" She stood up, and held out a hand. "You are not even worthy of knowing InuYasha! You aren't even worthy of the soul you bear!" _

            Kagome shook her head, her eyes widening in horror. She _had said that she would stay with him, no matter what! She had abaondoned him when he need her! _

            Tears misted in her eyes, and she turned, new streangth forcing her on. She had to find InuYasha! She had to go to him! She would never leave him again!

            She ran, the forest blurred by with all her speed. She had to find InuYasha! She sprinted hard, her breath coming in little gasps, becoming sincronized with her footfalls. Where was he. 

            There! A flash of red! It was him. 

            The hanyou was walking slowly through the forest, his back straitened resolutely. 

            "InuYasha!" She cried out, her voice broken. 

            The hanyou stopped. 

            Kagome ran to him, and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist, crying into his red outer Haori. 

            "InuYasha!" She sobbed, hot tears running down her face. "I'm sorry! So sorry! I'll never leave you again!" 

            There was a snort of derision. "Like hell you will!" Came the harsh grating voice. You thing you're even gonna get a chance?" A vicelike grip latched onto her arm, and threw her savagely. "I don't think so, Kagome, no way!" He hissed as she hit the ground shocked. "You and I are done!" 

            Kagome looked up, hurt. "But…" She stuttered, confused. 

            "But, but, but!" He roared. "So you apologized! Big freaking deal!" He raged. "I said I was sorry, but you kicked in my face! You think I'm just gonna take you back with open arms? Like hell!" He turned, and stormed. 

            Kagome rose to her feet, her own temper up. "I said I was never gonna leave you, InuYasha!" She said. "I went back on that once, but it's not gonna happen again!" 

            InuYasha turned, and scowled at her. "You think you can stop me?" 

            Kagome scowled at him. "I'm not leaving you." She said, blissfully unaware that just minutes before she had wanted to be as far away from him as possible. "Even if I have to force myself!" She yelled. "Sit!" 

            Nothing happened. 

            InuYasha's grin increased. "Oh, but I already saw Vadise!" He hissed. "She was kind enough to remove _this!" To Her horror, he held up the broken necklace that tgave her power over him. "And what's more, looky here!" His other hand whipped up, and reavealed the Shikon jewel. Kagome gasped, and stepped back. _

            His smile widened. "That's right, I have what I want!" He yelled. "I don't need you, so just screw you, and you're freakin' shard hunt!" He turned sharply, and disappeared into the trees. 

            Kagome's eyes widened in horror, and she slowly sank to her knees. It was over… all over… 

            He was gone… she would never see him again. There were no second chances. 

            She had blown it… and he had gone. Forever. And… AND IT WAS ALL HER FAULT! 

            Compleately broken, Kagome broke down on the forest floor, and wept. 


	53. Vadise

            Kagome sat up, tears running down her face. 

            "So, you finally woke up?"

            Her head whipped around faster than was smart, and a jar of pain lanced through her. Slowly, her vision cleared, and she saw the odd tiger striped girl, sitting next to her, with her legs crossed, staring at her happily. 

            "It took you long enough." She said, plainly. "I was getting bored watching you cry." 

            Kagome's anger flared. Her fist connected with the girls face at a very high speed, knocking her backwards. 

            "Shut up!" She yelled, her voice threatening to shatter at any moment. 

            The girl sat up again happily. "Ooh, aren't you touchy." She said with a giggle. "But why?" 

            Kagome recoiled at that, her eyes narrowing.    

            The girl dramatically put the back of her hand to her forehead, and bent backward in a fake, mocking swoon. "Oh, He abandoned me!" She said in a high soprano mocking voice. "Oh, a-boo, a-hoo! What shall I evah dooooo?" she fell over backwards, and caught herself with her hands, falling back into a dive roll, and coming to her feet. 

            Kagome's face reddened with rage, and her lips curled up in a snarl. 

            The girl's grin widened. "If it's any consolation, you passed you're test…" 

            Kagome's hands suddenly wrapped themselves around her throat. "Do you think I _care?" She demanded, her voice rising to a shrieking level.  Her eye widened in fury. _

            The girls grin widened slightly. "You should, Kagome." She said softly. "Not many are given second chances… if you don't learn, then you could find yourself in a much more difficult position than you are in now." 

            Kagome's eye narrowed, and her grip tightened. 

            Then there was a groan from behind her. It was low, and rough. It was one she was familiar with. Her head turned instantly. 

            Slowly, InuYasha put his hand to his head, and staggered to his feet, his other hand clenched tight. 

            "Inu… Yasha…" Kagome managed to squeak. The girl fell from her grip, landing smoothly on her feet, forgotten.             

            The hanyou looked up suddenly, a wild look in his eyes. The amber eyes focused suddenly on Kagome. 

            "You're alive…" He breathed. 

            She wasn't exactly sure who moved first, but the next thing she knew was that she was in his arms, wrapping her own around his, crying into his chest. 

            They were both talking at once, not really listening to each other. 

            The tight embrace was plenty communication. Kagome could feel hot tears pattering on to her hair, and was aware that she was staining the hanyou's red haori with a huge, salty splotch of her own.  

            The little tiger girl cast a quick glance to Kirara, and then back. "Kiss him." She whispered to Kagome. 

            The young miko just didn't care anymore. They were together. 

            Slowly, and briefly, their lips touched. The girl smiled slightly. 

            They held each other longer, Kagome blushing slightly at the brief contact, her tears rapidly drying. 

            "Okay! That's enough!" Cried the odd tiger girl, "There's only so much fluff I can take, and you guys just reached the limit!" She said sharply, "You guys both passed the tests, so Kagome gets cured!" 

            InuYasha suddenly looked up, glancing at her furiously. "You!" He seethed, rage coming to his voice. "You're the one who gave us those "Tests", aren't you?"

            The girl gave him an amused nod. 

            And suddenly found five claws and inch from her face. InuYasha's face clouded with rage. 

            The girls smile turned sardonic and taunting. "Yes?" She asked confidently. 

            Amber eyes focused on green. 

            The amber eyes watered, then blinked. 

            IN that split second of darkness, the girl somehow managed to get on top of InuYasha, and stand gracefully on the top of his head. "Look at yourself, InuYasha, and look at Kagome." She commanded. "You learned from the tests, and therefore you passed. There is no need for them to be permanent." 

            InuYasha glanced down at himself, then at Kagome. She was alive, that was certain. And the cut on his arm was gone. 

            Kagome looked down at herself as well. Her clothes were intact, and all the scratches and bruises were gone. 

             "It didn't happen?" She asked, stuttering slightly, relief washing over her. The feeling of dirtiness was already fading. "It wasn't real." 

            The girl shrugged. "Real is in the eye of the beholder." She said simply. "But the tests were based on your own fears and concerns." She turned suddenly and meaningfully to InuYasha. "Yours, might I add, are much more well founded than hers were." Her gaze intensified as the hanyou paled slightly. 

            Briefly, Kagome glanced at InuYasha, and wondered what his test was. 

The girl looked around. "Can you see Vadise now?" 

InuYasha and Kagome looked around. The hanyou growled, and looked at the little girl. "Listen, wench!" InuYasha said, his voice starting to threaten. "I ain't in the mood for any more a your crap!" He stalked forward to the girl. "You're gonna take us to Vadise… NOW!" 

            The girl held up her hands. "Okay, okay!" She said innocently. "Fine, just follow me." 

            She started walking deeper into the forest, when Kagome interrupted her.  

            InuYasha, turned to Kagome, nodded silently, and followed. 

            Kagome shrugged slightly, and walked behind him. 

            Behind them, Kirara sat down, and curled up. _Can't see her, huh? _The fire cat thought idly as she tried to go to sleep. _They're pretty good at talking to someone they can't see. _

~~

            There was an awkward silence between Kagome and InuYasha as they walked. 

            Kagome was blushing all the way down to her toes. _She had kissed him! _What had she been thinking? InuYasha wasn't her boyfriend or anything, so she had no right… But then again… The memory of his lips on hers flashed through her memory. 

            InuYasha himself was very silent. Slowly, he looked over at her, and asked softly. "What was you're test?" 

            Kagome tensed up, but kept on walking. She smiled lightly at him, and waved her hand. "It doesn't matter." She dismissed. "Don't worry about it." She cast an inquisitive look at him. "What about you? What did you dream?"  

            InuYasha perked an eyebrow at her, and said, in a very bad imitation of Kagome's voice, "It doesn't matter, don't worry about it." 

            Kagome looked at him for a moment, then giggled despite herself. 

            "Here we are!" Said the girl, smiling, standing before the drooping cascade of a giant willow. It must have been literally hundreds of feet high, and Kagome couldn't even tell how thick it was, for the drooping boughs all but obscured whatever lay within. Slowly, and dramatically, the girl lifted aside a shock of boughs, and gestured for them to go through. 

            Kagome looked up into the deep darkness, and a sudden nervousness suddenly bit into her heart. This was it! This was where they had set out to get to! This was _it!_

InuYasha must have sensed this too, for a clawed hand reached out and grabbed hers in a tight, comforting embrace. 

            She gave his hand a squeeze, and together, they walked through the curtain. 

            It was dark inside… very dark. Kagome couldn't see a thing, but she had a feeling InuYasha could. She could feel him looking left and right, sniffing slightly. 

            "Well," The girl's voice came from off to Kagome's left. "Here we are." 

            InuYasha let go of her hand for a moment, and looked around, sniffing. "Where is she?" He demanded harshly. "Are playing games, wench?" 

            The was a light chuckle from the girl, whom Kagome could now barely make out with the limited light. "No, she's right here…" She said. 

            "Where?" InuYasha demanded. There was the slight sound of splashing, and InuYasha growled again. 

            The room seemed to be getting lighter. Kagome could now make out a ring-like lake surrounded the trunk of the willow. Even in the dim light she could see that it was crystal clear. She could see strait to the bottom of the pool. 

            "She's very near you." The girl said smoothly. 

            Where was that light coming from? Kagome looked around to try to find the source, but had no luck. 

            "Don't tell me you can't see her." The girl said with a shrug. "Not my fault." 

            InuYasha's growl of frustration became louder, and all of a sudden he was in front of the girl, his hands locked around her throat. "We don't have time for this!" He roared, his blood racing. Kagome could see a bit of red flecking his eyes.  

            The girl's smile increased, even as she failed to breath. "You have all the time I want you to have, InuYasha." She rasped. 

            Kagome's eyes widened. The light! It was coming from the girl. She was… NO WAY! "InuYasha!" She cried urgently, "Let her go!" 

            But it was too late. There was a flash of light, and InuYasha flew across the secluded chamber, and smashed into the tree with stunning force. 

            The girl, however, didn't drop to the forest floor. She remained hovering three feet of the ground, however, she seemed to have undergone some divine transformation.

Her hair, which now fell down her back in soft white waves, blew in an imaginary wind. The white silks she now wore contrasted starkly with her dusky skin, and the white, downy, feathered wings arced from her back, her smile was cool, and almost comforting. 

"You are a fool, at times, InuYasha." She said, smiling slightly. 

With that, she sank to the ground, and turned to Kagome. 

Vadise raised her head, and smiled at the mike. "So, let's get you fixed up, shall we?" 


	54. Prices

            InuYasha groaned in pain, trying feebly to move. It was like some giant vise was crushing him into the wood of the tree. His breath was forced out of him like he was a bellows, and he could feel the pressure increasing. 

            Through blurred vision, he could see the damn girl glowing bright. So it was _her! _She _was the one they were after! _

            Slowly, he could see the white from of her head towards him as stars began to go off in his head. 

            Vadise looked up, and with a sardonic look, smiled at him. "Whoops!" She said cheerfully, and suddenly, the pressure was gone. He dropped to the grassy floor like a rock, hitting on his hands and knees, struggling for breath. "Don't know my own strength." 

            "InuYasha!" He heard Kagome call from across the lake. 

            He slowly staggered to his feet, growling. "You're Vadise, ain't ya?" 

            Vadise smiled at him cheerfully, and nodded. 

            His eyes narrowed, and he pointed bluntly at Kagome. "Fix her!" 

            Vadise's eyes wandered over to Kagome, and lingered. Her grin widened. "Why?" She asked lazily, sitting down in midair, leaning back, and kicking her legs out. 

            InuYasha's growl grew louder. He flashed his claws. "Because I said so!" 

            Vadise looked down at him with an amused look. "What are you doing up there?" 

            InuYasha's eyes widened, and he looked up suddenly. The forest floor was above him… and rushing downward very fast. 

            There was a sickening thud, and InuYasha slowly, attempted to get to his feet, only to suddenly have the ground twist beneath him, causing him to fall back to his stomach, hard. 

            Vadise yawned to herself, and made a negligent hand gesture. InuYasha suddenly fell from his stomach to his feet, causing his insides to do several flips in the process. He raised his head, and was caught smoothly by Vadise's cool, green eyes. 

            "Listen, little hanyou." She said, her voice suddenly sonorous and authoritative. "You have no right to be making demands of me here. My slightest thought becomes truth, here." Her eyes widened. "I do what I will, save who I will, kill who I will, and take what I will." 

            Her hair slowly caught up in unseen winds, flailing upwards, twisting around her face. 

            "You came in, you make demands?" She said, her voice cool, yet resonating. "You willingly walk into the lair of the most powerful being on this world, and you make demands?" Her eyes narrowed. "You have a death wish." 

            Slowly, her hair returned to normal, and her wings folded back against her back, and her smile returned. "Such audacity would normally get one killed." She announced, then smiled slightly more. "But, I'm not really normal, am I?" 

            InuYasha sat up, and shuddered. He had been helpless. Not even able to move! Who the hell was this girl? How did she have so much power? 

            "So, I'll heal the girl… for a price." InuYasha slowly staggered to his feet. 

            "What do you want?" He demanded, harshly. 

            Vadise smiled slightly at him, and nodded. She turned to Kagome, and made a gesture. Suddenly, Kagome was right next to them. The girl looked rather pale, and more than a little scared. 

            Vadise nodded slightly, and smiled. "Each of you is willing to fight to stay alive." She said wisely. "But are you willing to give something up?" 

            Both InuYasha and Kagome nodded slightly. 

            Vadise rolled her eyes. "Rhetorical question." She said softly. "However, you'd be surprised how hard it is to give something up." She chuckle lightly. "It just has to be precious to you." 

            Her eyes shifted to Kagome. "Tell me." She said softly. "Would you give up you're friends, in order to live? Would you go back to your own time, and never come back?" 

            Kagome's eyes widened in horror. No! She… She couldn't! There was no way! Never seeing Miroku or Sango or Shippo again? But… then… if she died… what would the difference be? 

            "What about you're family?" Vadise demanded. "Would you stay in the past, forever?" She said slyly, circling Kagome, her eyes tracing over the girls face. "Would you forsake your life for the chance to live?" 

            Kagome eyes widened even further. No! She couldn't leave her family! Sure, Souta was a brat, sometimes, but still, she wanted to see him again. 

            _AH! But you've already left you're family! Her voice sounded insider her head now. _You ran off, abandoning them when they wanted to be with you, on the off chance that you would live! __

            Kagome gasped. No! No, it wasn't true! It was InuYasha! He took her! 

            _O, so then you would leave you're friends to live? The voice demanded. _You're family is more important than you're friends in this age? More important than InuYasha?__

No! That's not it! 

            _So, you would run to you're family, and leave InuYasha, just to live? _

NO! I would never leave InuYasha! I promised! 

            _So what would you give up, hmm? Would you take InuYasha to you're time? You could stay with him, and keep you're family? Would you give up the past? You two could go through the well, and never come back!_

Kagome suddenly dropped to her knees, her breath coming in little gasps. That wouldn't be so bad, would it? Then she thought of all the boring weekends. No more adventuring. No more questing. It had become such a part of her life that she couldn't manage to think about her life without it. No… she couldn't give that up... could she? 

            _So… what will it be? _

Kagome shook her head. She couldn't choose! How could she choose? 

            _You tire my patience. _

Anything! Kagome thought desperately. Take what you want! Just... not InuYasha… I said… I promised… 

            A smile appeared on Vadise's face. "Very well…" She said softly. "I shall then take…" She held up her hand, and in it something materialized. "…this." 

            Kagome looked down, and in shock, and saw, resting gently in the palm of her hand, was InuYasha's necklace. 

            InuYasha must have seen it too, for his hands instantly went to his neck, and groped around. There was nothing there. 

            Kagome gasped inwardly… She would never leave InuYasha… but now there was nothing bonding him to her. Would he leave her? She couldn't make him stay… now. 

            Vadise nodded slightly to the miko, and then turned to InuYasha. She didn't even bother speaking aloud. 

            _Well, and you're price, InuYasha? Her voice asked in his head. _

            InuYasha said nothing, still rather wondered at the sudden freedom. 

            _But honestly, you have no choice in the matter. The voice stated matter-of-factly. __You cannot choose, and you have no final test to pass, like the girl did. _

InuYasha briefly focused on the panting Kagome. She looked rather shaken. 

            _But I will give you a warning. The voice said. _Her tests were based on her fears, just as yours were. You fear the death of Kagome… And you fear the one you call Kikyo. You cannot find out what she is, or why she does not act like the Kikyo you knew. _Her eyes flashed in his. _And you should fear her, InuYasha. You should be wary of the dead priestess, or your test could become more real than you could ever believe. And pay heed to your father's words as well. The beast you have made of yourself threatens to destroy you, and strip you of all that is yourself. __

InuYasha's eyes widened, and he nodded almost imperceptibly. 

            Vadise smiled, and nodded. "Very well, then you will continue on your quest for the Shikon no Tama." She said. 

            InuYasha perked his eyebrow. "That's it?" He demanded. 

            Vadise shrugged. "And when you have completed it, then you will bring it to me." 

**

            Hehe, and so the ante is set. Will InuYasha give up his life's goal to save that which he's not even sure how he feels about. 

            And, if Vadise comes across as either a weirdo, or a meenie, that's whats supposed to happen. But trust me, she's really nice. She just doesn't play around when there's business at hand. 

            Wow, only two chapters to go, at the max, and maybe some authors notes afterwards, if I don't feel like ruining to moment of the last chapter. 

            Hopefully, I'll get one chapter up per day from here on out, and finish the day before school! As soon as school starts, I have soccer practice, and Games, and such, so updates will get a little more scarce. 

            However, on a brighter not, I will be trying to make the chapters of the sequal much longer. 

            And I have a question, to anyone who knows. The sequal is going to be having elements from "InuYasha: Affections Touching Across Time," And I was wondering. Are there two versions of the movie? I have the one with the really crappy subbing, and that has "InuYasha: Love surpass the time" As the translated title. However, on the xtra features page, it has a preview for something that is definitely the same movie, however, looks very different, and quite frankly, better. I would like to incorporate that as well, so If I could have any information, that would be appreciated. (Kagome comes after Inu with a katana! I wanna see it!) 


	55. Too Late

            Ice pierced Kagome's heart. She was doomed… good as dead… InuYasha would never give up the jewel. The jewel was the only real reason he wanted her around… wasn't it? 

            He wouldn't give it up… just for her. 

            All the pain, the ache that had been echoing throughout her body. Everything that she had been repressing. It all slipped to the surface. 

            InuYasha himself back up a few steps, shock written plainly across his face. 

            He stared into Vadise's cool, smooth grin. Slowly, his eyes narrowed, and his eyebrows arched angrily. 

            "That's it, isn't it?" He demanded, his voice shaking with rage. "That's what you've wanted all along!" 

            Vadise put her finger to her mouth, and thought for a minute. She smiled at him, and nodded. "Yep, pretty much!" 

            A low, deep bass growl started in his chest. Kagome listened in horror as the pain crept over her. This was one of InuYasha's authentic growls, not one he just threw in to accentuate his speech. 

            The hanyou literally shook with rage. His claws clenching and unclenching. 

            "And you probably had this all planned out with all you're little dragon friends, didn't ya?" He accused. 

            Vadise nodded again, smiling at him. "Just about, yeah." She affirmed. 

            The little dragon was suddenly ceased between two viselike, clawed hands. InuYasha's eyes were flecked with red, and his teeth were barred ferociously. "You little bitch!" InuYasha seethed, his grip tightening. 

            "Life tends to be that." She agreed, showing no sign of discomfort in the hanyou's crushing grasp. "Deal with it." 

            Kagome watched in horror as InuYasha flung the girl away like a rag doll, her vision starting to blur from the pain. 

            "You set all this up!" The hanyou roared. 

            Vadise stopped herself in midair, and righted herself. "Indeed, you're powers of deduction are dizzying." She said. 

            Kagome gasped in pain. It ripped at her. It was eating her! No! Please! Make it stop! Please!! Oh, god! Please… just make it go away! 

            Her arm reached out involuntarily. She was lying on the soft, mossy earth. When had she fallen? It hurt… make it stop… 

            "Inu… Yasha…" She rasped, her throat dry and parched. 

            The hanyou whirled on her, his eyes widening in horror as he saw her on the ground. 

            "InuYasha…" She gasped, tears running down her face. "Help… it hurts…" 

            InuYasha's eyes widened in horror, and he whipped around. "What the hell's wrong?" He demanded of the floating dragon. "She was fine just a second ago!" 

            Vadise chuckled slightly, the sound barely audible over Kagome's mews of pain. "Well, you see, she had a very strong will to live." She explained. "This somehow held over to her miko powers, and they preserved her. She should have been dead when she fell of Syldra over the ocean, but her miko powers have literally been holding her together." She shrugged. "Now, something triggered, and they've turned off." She nodded slightly. "Very painful, I'd imagine." Her tone was that of a weather man talking about rain over western Yokohama. 

            InuYasha whirled around to Kagome, then back to Vadise. "You _bitch!" He seethed, rage building in his voice. "Heal her! NOW!" _

            Vadise shrugged. "First give me your word. I will have the Shikon Jewel." 

            InuYasha glared from the dragon to the miko. 

            Kagome struggled as she tried to get up. InuYasha could see her getting paler by the second. Her eyes widened, and she coughed. Blood spilled between her cracked lips, staining the green moss black. 

            InuYasha whipped his head back around and nodded savagely. "Whatever the hell you want!" He seethed. "Just do it!" 

            The girl smiled at him, and nodded. 

            Kagome lifted her head in shock, her ears still barely working. Her eyes had ceased functioning for a while now. He… he said yes? He… he said yes… He did…

            Kagome's head dropped back to the ground as she slid back into darkness. 

~~

            InuYasha watched in horror as Kagome's head fell down, splashing a puddle of her own blood. 

            His ears twitched. Her heart no longer was beating. She… she was dead… dead… it was too late. 

            "Well," Vadise remarked nonchalantly. "That's a minor inconvenience." She turned to InuYasha. "Grab her, would you?" 

            InuYasha's fist connected with Vadise's face like a brick hitting tissue paper. 

            The dragon flew back into the trunk of the giant willow, shattering the wood into splinters. Before she could even open her eyes, the hanyou was there. He grabbed her head, and brought it down savagely into his knee, crushing her nose and any other bones in her face. His knee came down, then up again. Then his elbow came down on her neck with a horrifying snap. 

            Vadise fell back, motionless, her head leaning at an odd angle. 

            InuYasha jumped back, his claws flexed, breathed hard. 

            Slowly, the dragon twitched, and got up. With a twitch of her head, it popped back into its proper place, and the blood on her face and on the ground flowed backwards up into her nose and mouth. The odd angle of her nose cracked, and straitened. 

            She shrugged slightly, and said simply: "Ow"

            InuYasha growled, then howled in rage, lunging at her again. There were two blows, and InuYasha couldn't even keep up with them. Vadise appeared behind him, and he fell to the ground, his right Achilles tendon completely severed, his leg shattered in at least three places, and his left shoulder completely wrenched out of its socket. He could barely feel his arm, and wished to al heaven that he couldn't feel his leg. 

            Slowly the hanyou turned around, to face Vadise.

            The girl leaned against a tree, smiling slightly. "That wasn't very smart, InuYasha." She remarked lightly, inspecting her bloody claws. "You are aware aren't you, that a human doesn't actually die until…" 

            "Shut the hell up!" InuYasha yelled in a screeching voice. Using his one good leg to propel him forward, he fastened his right hand around her throat. "She'd dead! Fucking DEAD!" His voice broke, and tears graced his cheeks. "It's too late." 

            Vadise shrugged slightly, and sighed. "You are an idiot." 

            And suddenly, InuYasha was not clutching at the throat of a small, sixteen looking cat-girl. He looked up, strait at thirty feet of very deadly looking white dragon. 

            Even in his rage, InuYasha was stunned. She was beautiful! She was covered in a soft, white fur from head to tail. Her eyes were the clearest emeralds he had ever seen, and her six feathered wings were tinged blue, and even a darker purple at the edges. Her long claws were like crystal Ivory, long and sharp, but beautiful for all their deadliness. 

            The cool green eyes burned into his. 

            _Good night, InuYasha. Her voice sounded. _

            Then, the hanyou suddenly felt all of the dragon's will crashing down on his, and for one instant, truly comprehended how powerful she was. 

            And then everything went black. 

**

            Don't worry, it'll all turn out good! Just trust me! One more chapter! 

            …I really don't want this to end… SO THAT'S WHY I'M DDOING A SEQUAL! 

            *Does happy dance around his computer*

            Oh, and I'm aware that there are two different movies out, however, I'm wondering weather there are two versions of the first movie. This would really help me in the sequel, if anyone has any info.  

            Oh, and you can get the movies at E-bay. I got mine for $15, INCLUDING S&H! 


	56. His

WAI! SORRY this is so late! School started, and all offa sudden it's like PFFOOOOME! And I have a butload of homework to deal with, and everything… and it sucks. I havn't even been able to type for the last bazillion days, cause I'm learning about calculus, and latin, and the native Americans, and very basic physics stuff. Anywho, here it is, the end. I'll try to put some author notes up after this. I didn't want to put it at the end of this, cause it would ruin the mood. Anywho, enjoy!

Kagome slowly became aware. She didn't open her eyes. That would ruin it. She didn't want to see where she was… although, personally, she had no doubt she was in heaven. 

            She was warm. Very, very warm. And her pillow was wonderfully soft, and had that wonderful downy feeling that you got when you rubbed a furry cat's tummy. IT was wonderful. She didn't want to wake up. Ever. 

            Wait! There was something wring… The pillow, just off to her left… it wasn't the same! It was hard in places, and shaped funny. It didn't fit in! It ruined her sleep! 

            No… it couldn't be! Was she in the other place? 

            Slowly, her eyes opened. Ahh… the pillow to her right was clad in red… and had silver hair and doggy ears… No… it was heaven. Very definitely heaven. 

            She closed her eyes, and slumped down again, this time leaning her head on InuYasha's shoulder. 

~~

            Sesshoumaru sat silently in his bedchamber. It had been a long time since he had been here. A very long time indeed. But now, here he was. Back in Shinjuku, back in his fathers estate, and even in a position of the utmost political power. He had honor, respect, and much more. 

            "Sesshy-chan!" A voice called, clear crisp, and laughingly. "Lunch is ready!" 

            Sesshoumaru almost laughed at that. Despite all his power, he had no staff in his place. Only one simple human girl to look after his needs. And she wasn't even his slave. He had given up trying to pass her as one within a week of returning home. She didn't carry herself like a slave, and as much as he was loath to admit it, he couldn't bring himself to treat her as one. 

            She did everything for him of her own free will, and wouldn't allow him to hire or buy anyone else. He snorted at the thought. The mighty lord Sesshoumaru, needing the permission of a little human girl to buy anything. 

            And yet, when she smiled, it made him want to smile back. And she held more power over him than any youkai he had ever faced before. 

            "And could it be that the mighty Sesshoumaru is falling into the same thing his father did?" Asked a cool confident voice. 

            Sesshoumaru turned around to face the intruder, knowing instantly who it was. 

            Atma stepped out of the shadows with a shrug and smiled at him. 

            Sesshoumaru turned around again, and inspected his reflection in a full length glass mirror. 

            "You remind me so much of you're father when he first met his mate." The dragon said softly. 

            Sesshoumaru didn't react. His eyes traced up and down the mirror. 

            Atma giggle slightly. "He was so cute back then." She said with a slight giggle, then paused to look at Sesshoumaru. "But then so were you." She said authoritatively. 

            Sesshoumaru's eyes focused on her, through the mirror. "And you would know this? My father met mother as I was born." 

            Atma nodded authoritatively. "Yes…" She said softly. "Yes he did." She smiled. "She was the midwife, if I remember correctly." 

            Sesshoumaru looked up. "And you would know this? The only ones at my birth were her and my mother." 

            Atma nodded, smiling to herself. "Aye… I was there." She said softly. She looked up. "You should go." She said with a smile. "You're lunch will get cold." With that, she disappeared into the darkness, leaving the youkai to his own speculations. 

~~

            Already the forest was eating away at the desert of the dead Khellendros. Without the magic to hold it in place, it shrank away. 

            And life already started to appear in the land of death. The dead plants fell, and new greenery grew in. The rains, long kept from the land, fell… except for in one place. 

            Deep in the heart of the land, a deep crater laid. A perfect hemisphere laid into the ground, almost sixty feet across. 

            And at the bottom of the crater lay a man. He was dressed in the long robes of a monk, and scattered around him was small pieces of bone, smashed and shattered into odd angles. 

            The man stirred, and slowly got to his feet. He was wounded horribly, he could tell. There was something wrong with his neck, and he was very weak from loss of blood. 

            And his right hand ached, hurt with a fury that almost brought tears to his face. Slowly, he looked down, and saw why. The right hand had been crushed, mangled beyond all recognition. His legs gave out, and he slumped back to the ground. 

            Slowly, he reached over, and grabbed one of the pieces of bone. It was large, and curved oddly. It had a bit of cloth attached to it. The cloth was shredded, and torn. It was died with the die of a traditional village. 

            Slowly, he laughed to himself, and placed the piece of bone on his sternum. He lay back down, and waited for death to claim him. 

            "Houshi-Sama." A warm voice called. 

            The man's eyes opened once more, and he looked up. Standing over him was a girl. She was dressed in a baggy, purple outfit, and her long black hair was tied up in a frayed pony tail. 

            Slowly, she reached down, and held a slip of paper down to his face. 

            On the paper were two names, along with several tallies. 

            Under the name "Sango" There were about fifteen. 

            He looked up and smiled slightly at her. "Sango…" He said softly. 

            Under the name "Miroku, there were only two marks, which the man thought, was a respectable sum when dealing with someone like Sango. 

            Sango lifted the paper up, and did some quick marking with a piece of charcoal. 

            She put the paper down in front of Miroku's face. 

            Now Sango had seventeen marks, and Miroku had none. 

            The monk looked up in confusion at Sango's grinning face. 

            SMACK! SMACK!

~~

            Kagome was shaken suddenly out of her paradise. 

            Her eyes flew open, and she looked up. There was a pair of warm golden eyes above her. 

            "InuYasha?" She said softly, yawning. 

            "Kagome… you're alright!" The hanyou said softly, not quite trusting it to be true. 

            She nodded slightly, realizing that she did indeed feel just fine. No pain, at all! 

            She smiled slightly. "So… did we die?" She asked. 

            InuYasha blinked, and scratched his head. "I don't know." He said with a shrug. "Your heart stopped beating for a while, but it's going strong now." 

            Kagome nodded, and leaned back into the wall of white fluff that was behind her. It was really, really soft. 

            _That tickles… A warm voice said lethargically. _

            Kagome gasped, and jumped away from the wall of fur. The biggest, green eyes she had ever seen starred at her lazily. 

            InuYasha stepped in front of her, and his claws came up. 

            The dragon sighed softly, and laid her head down. _As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted. _The voice said. _A human doesn't actually die until a few hours after their heart stops beating. _

            InuYasha's eyes widened, and his face lost a little bit of its previous color. 

            Vadise chuckled slightly. _Luckily, the minor injuries that you had were easier to fix than Kagome-chan's. _

InuYasha whirled to Kagome, worry written plainly on his face. "She's cured?" He demanded. 

            The dragon nodded, and suddenly there was a bright flash of light. Standing where the dragon was, was once again a happy looking little cat-girl, her tail twitching ever so slightly. "Yupperz!" She declared. "Cured as cured could be." 

            InuYasha's eyes narrowed. "How do I know you're not lying?" He demanded. 

            Vadise shrugged. "You don't." She said simply. 

            "So I just have to trust you, izzat it?" The hanyou demanded. 

            Vadise thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yep." She said simply. "Sounds right to me." 

            InuYasha's claws flexed. "What happens if I don't trust you?" 

            The dragon held up a hand, and a fireball appeared in it. "You and Kagome are incinerated the second you go back on your promise." She said in the same voice one might talk about the weather with. 

            Kagome quickly ran and interceded herself between InuYasha and the dragon. God, it felt good to run without pain again! "InuYasha, I feel fine." She said, desperate to avoid conflict at this point. "Let's just go home." 

            InuYasha regarded Kagome, and then turned back to Vadise. His growl was threatening. 

            Vadise smiled at him, and waved. 

            "InuYasha, sit." Kagome said, her voice going flat. 

            InuYasha winced, and braced himself, but nothing happened. He opened his eyes, looked around, expecting to see hard earth. Suddenly he stood up strait, looking very happy. 

            Kagome winced, and looked back to Vadise imploringly. 

            Vadise shrugged. "Sit, boy." She said simply. 

            InuYasha crashed to the ground with stunning force, his head driving through the earth, and embedding itself in the clay and rock below the soft loam. 

            Vadise looked up, and winked at her. "Listen, Kagome." She said softly. "I know this sound sorta sketchy, but you're just going to have to trust me, okay?" 

            Kagome swallowed heavily, and shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?" She asked. 

            Vadise shook her head. "Not really." She observed. 

            Kagome sighed. "Well, I'm alive," She said happily. "I guess that'll do." 

            Vadise smiled, and nodded. "And keep in mind, that in my eyes the shikon jewel is worth much more than you're life. If you need any more favors, I'm here for the asking." 

            Kagome blinked. "Umm… thanks… I guess." She said, her eyebrow perking. "Um… I don't suppose, you could give us a ride to the well?" Kagome had no real doubts that Vadise not only could do this, but also knew exactly where the well was. 

            Vadise thought for a moment, then nodded.  

            Even as her head came up, they were at the well. 

            Kagome wasn't really sure how it happened, but it did, Atma had been standing by her giant willow, and then her vision had blurred, and she was standing in a clearing right next to the well. 

            InuYasha's head was still embedded into the ground. 

            The hanyou's hands planted on either side of his head, and he heaved himself out of the ground. He looked up angrily, his eyes fixating on Vadise. 

            Her eyebrow perked. "Don't make me _SIT_ you again." She said. InuYasha crashed to the ground once again. "Oh, look, I accidentally said _SIT!_" Crunch. "Oh, I really must stop saying _SIT!_" Thud. "I'm sorry I can't refer to the word _SIT _without using the word _SIT, _cause then you wouldn't know I was referring to the word _SIT!_" Thunk, Thud, Crunch. 

            Kagome tried to repress a giggle, and shook her head. When she wasn't acting depraved and evil, the little dragon was pretty cool!

            InuYasha staggered to his feet, his face dirty, and a few teeth missing. 

            Vadise giggle slightly, and turned back to Kagome. "Anywho, I really need to be getting back to my lair." She said. "But, I'm sure we'll meet again." She giggled mischievously. 

            Kagome smiled back at her nervously as the dragon stepped back, and disappeared. 

            InuYasha staggered to his feet, growling madly and glaring back and forth. 

            Kagome sighed slightly, and shook her head. It was finally over. She could go home. 

            InuYasha looked around carefully. "How'd we get here?" He demanded. 

            Kagome smiled at him. "Vadise got us a ride." She said softly. "I can go home now." 

            InuYasha's eyes widened, for a moment, then he nodded. His arms crossed, and he straitened his back, posing in that arrogant way that only he could. "Feh!" He said indifferently. "If you want." 

            Kagome rolled her eyes, and laughed. "Hey InuYasha?" She asked. "I'm sure Mom has enough food for another mouth to feed, even if it is yours." She nodded towards the well. "Ya wanna come home with me?" 

            InuYasha barely suppressed his smile, but still managed to look indifferent. "Feh." He repeated. "If you want me to." 

            Kagome rolled her eyes, and grabbed his arm. "C'mon, lets go!" 

            InuYasha smiled. She wasn't gonna leave him. 

~~

            Kagome hauled herself laboriously out of the well, the little rope ladder they had set up still being hard to climb. 

            She pulled herself over the side of the well, and turned around to give InuYasha a hand up. 

            The hanyou, however, simply leapt up from the bottom of the well, up through the hole in the roof he had made with that dramatic exit only two weeks earlier. 

            Kagome sighed. "Showoff." She grumbled, stalking out of the well house herself. 

            She emerged out into the full light of a glorious day. The sun shone down through the sparse clouds, casting filtered light all around the grassy areas in front of the shrine. 

            And there, standing next to the house, sweeping away at the already spotless floor of the ancient stone walkway, was her mother. 

            "Mom!" She called excitedly. 

            Mrs. Higurashi raised her head, and glanced up, her eyes fixing on the girl in her side yard, and the red-clothed hanyou standing on the roof. 

            She stood up, and began walking forward, aimed in a strait arrow path towards them. And walked… right past Kagome, and looked up at the hanyou on the roof, arms akimbo, and a quirky little smile on her face. 

            Ignoring the shocked look on her daughter's face, she perked on eyebrow, and said: "What took you so long?" 

            InuYasha fell backwards, and tumbled off the roof, while Kagome suddenly found herself hard pressed to not laugh. 

            Laughing herself, Mrs. Higurashi turned around and wrapped her arms around her daughter, squeezing her tight. 

            Kagome laughed again, tears streaming down her cheeks, and squeezed back. 

            InuYasha lifted himself off the ground, and shook himself, growling slightly. "What's the big Idea?" He demanded, a deep growl in his chest. 

            "InuYasha, sit." Kagome said, muffled slightly because her face was buried in her mother's shoulder. 

            InuYasha covered his head with his arms, and braced himself, but once again, nothing happened. The hanyou stood up strait again, grinning arrogantly. "Excuse me?" He asked, "What was that again?" 

            "InuYasha, _sit!_" Came a new voice, carrying an arrogant tone of command. 

            InuYasha's eyes widened, and he went crashing to the ground again, creating large crater in the gray stone. 

            Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi's eyes widened, and their eyes traced up to the stranger. 

            Green hair rustled slightly as Celest stepped over the prone for of InuYasha. Her smile upturned arrogantly, she made a false little bow. "My sincerest apologies for interrupting this little interlude, however I'm on a tight schedule." 

            "You have other people's walkways to destroy?" Mrs. Higurashi noted, stepping slightly in front of Kagome. 

            Celest shrugged, and glanced back at the crater. InuYasha floated back to his feet, and the rock reformed into perfect bricks. 

            "That better?" she asked saucily. "Or can I have a nice chat with Kagome now?" 

            Mrs. Higurashi glanced slightly at Kagome. The young miko nodded, and her mother stood aside. 

            Kagome stepped forth, confidently. InuYasha was crouching right behind her, in case she turned hostile. Almost a full year of running around looking for shards of the sacred jewel had trained Kagome to not be surprised by anything. She wasn't going to act confused about a youkai that didn't even look that weird! 

            Celest smiled slightly, and did another mock bow. "Allow me to introduce myself." She said. "My name, is Celest." 

            Kagome nodded sweetly, noting by this time that Souta and Grandpa were also standing near her mother. 

            "And I just wanted to stop by and thank you." 

            Okay, now _that_ was unexpected. Kagome blinked, and with all the wisdom her sixteen year old mind could possibly muster, said: "Huh?" 

            Celest smiled, and held up her hand. The air around it began to shimmer. "For the lovely Tetsusaiga you left in the past." 

            There was a slight chink, and the Tetsusaiga fell into her hand, it's black sheath glistening in the sunlight. 

            InuYasha was up in an instant, and snatched his sword from the odd girl's hands. "Where the hell'd you get this?" The angry hanyou demanded. 

            Celest shrugged. "You left it lying in the snow after that tender little interlude at the _cave._" 

            InuYasha and Kagome exchanged nervous glances, and blushed. 

            "I picked it up after you left." She said explanatorily. "It's been exceptionally useful for these five hundred years, but now I suppose I should give it back." 

            With a shrug the girl nodded to Mrs. Higurashi, and turned to go, leaving an absolutely stunned InuYasha and Kagome behind her. 

            Before she disappeared down the stairs, she turned and looked directly at InuYasha. "Remember Vadise's warning." She called, and then disappeared down the stairs. 

            InuYasha looked down at the Tutsusaiga, and then back up, and shook his head confusedly. 

            Mrs. Higurashi walked back up by Kagome. "Any Idea what that was about?" She asked. 

            Kagome shook her head. "None whatsoever." She said, blinking. "Never seen her before in my life." 

            There was a sniffing sound behind them, and they turned to see InuYasha's sensitive nose wiggling slightly in the air. He looked down squarely at Mrs. Higurashi, and asked: "Is that Ramen?" 

            Mrs. Higurashi laughed, and nodded. 

~~

            Vadise lay by her giant willow, humming to herself as she twiddled her fingers in the water. 

            Slowly, a long shadow detached itself from the rest of the darkened realm, and approached her. 

            "It is done?" the shadow asked, slowly forming into a much more substantial figure. 

            Vadise nodded slightly. "And you have taken care of Morkleb I see." She said, narrowing her eyes slightly. Now the ripples from her finger danced out along the water in the shapes of dragons, stars, and things no human could possibly conceive to name. 

            Atma chuckled slightly, and shrugged. "I know you meant for me to do it on my own, but I had the monk and slayer there to help me." 

            Vadise chuckled slightly. "Yes, well, that's the second rule of being a leader. 'If you can't do it yourself, find someone who can.'" 

            Atma smiled slightly, and chuckled. "Well, I suppose so… but still…" Her lips pursed. "I was hoping to be able to do it myself." 

            Vadise smiled sweetly at her. "Well, it turned out for the best anyway." She said. "Sango is beginning to notice the monk." 

            Atma chuckled. "Well, valiant acts of self sacrifice aren't really what I'm after here." She said softly. 

            Vadise stared at her. "Well?" She asked, bemused. "How did you get our little slayer friend out of Miroku's wind tunnel without actually killing him?" 

            Atma chuckled. "I finally mastered the little thing I've been working on." 

            Vadise perked up. "Interdimensional transportation?" She asked, her eyebrows perking. "How?" 

            Atma wagged her finger at the smaller dragon. "Oh, no!" She said arrogantly. "I've got an advantage over you and I'm keeping it." 

            Vadise shrugged, and nodded. "Alright, fair enough." She said. 

            Atma poked her fingers together nervously. "But there are a few limitations." She said softly. 

            Vadise's ears pricked. "Yes?" She said, not looking up from the intertwining ripples in the water. 

            Atma sighed. "It only works with Dimensions that are thoroughly linked with this world, such as the one the monk's wind-tunnel leads to." 

            Vadise smiled. "So, in other words, it's almost useless." 

            Atma smiled confidently at her. "You really think so?" She asked. "How would you like to see how useless it is?" Her tone grew playfully sinister. 

            Vadise looked up at her, and stood up. "Is that a challenge?" She asked. 

            Atma clenched her fist, and lightning crested along it, down her blue velvet sleeve, and across the large wings on her back. "Sure, why not." 

            Vadise shrugged, and clutched her hand, as if gripping something. Slowly, the Tetsusaiga formed into her hand. 

            Atma lunged, grinning. "Where'd you find that thing?" She asked, lashing out with glowing claws. 

            Vadise chuckled as she fended off the blow with the huge blade. "Found it outside in the snow." She said, swinging low in an attempt to take Atma's legs off. 

            Atma leapt up, and landed on the sword's blade, and dashed down, planting heavy leather boot into the smaller dragon's face. "You gonna return it?" 

            Vadise shrugged, making the blood from her nose flow backwards into the wound. "Maybe…" She said softly, dancing backwards, avoiding the flying claw strikes. "In five-hundred years." 

            Atma kicked violently, sending the girl crashing into her own giant willow. "Those are some long term plans." She said, grinning slightly. "You sure your gonna last that long." 

            Vadise dropped down to the ground, and stood back up. "I'm never sure of anything." She said happily. "It's what makes life interesting." And then with a simple thought, Atma was thrown back into the pond, and driven to the bottom. 

            "But then…" Vadise said. "One must simply try to survive the storm that is life, and attempt to live while doing it." 

            Vadise held her opponent at the bottom of the pool for a little while long, then turned around, releasing her force on the dragon. 

            Atma sputtered to the top of the pool, and gasped for air. 

            Vadise smiled, and laughed. "Go Home, Atma." She said. "We should all return to our own place at one point or another." 

            Atma smiled, and bowed mockingly. "Oh, yes, great master." She said in a pitiful sounding voice. 

            Vadise rolled her eyes, and made a gesture with her hand. Atma grinned at her, and melded into the shadow before the spell could hit her. 

            Vadise looked back at the shadows, and shrugged. 

            She sat back again, letting her fingers drift into the water. 

            Her head tilted back in contentment as the sounds of the forest, music in of itself, ran through her. 

~~

            After a hot meal, (Well, several hot meals on InuYasha's part) and a nice hot shower, Kagome was feeling much better. "Hey, Mom, have you seen InuYasha?" She called into the kitchen. 

            Mrs. Higurashi leaned back from the laundry she was folding, and smiled. "I think I saw him heading out towards the sacred tree." She said happily. It was wonderful to have Kagome back… although keeping her friends at bay while InuYasha was around would be difficult… and Mrs. Higurashi had a feeling that both of them would be coming around considerably more often. 

            Kagome nodded her thanks, and dashed out the door, heading in the direction of the sacred tree. Circling around the wide trunk, she scoured the entire yard. There was no sign of the hanyou. 

            Kagome pursed her lips, and put her hands on her hips, looking left, and right. There was a light thud behind her, and she gasped as she whirled around. 

            InuYasha rose to his feet, and smiled at her. 

            Kagome rolled her eyes, and mock punched him in the chest. "Where have you been?" She demanded. 

            InuYasha looked up at the top of the tree, and pointed. 

            Kagome looked up. "You can jump that high?" She asked, slightly awed. 

            InuYasha grinned with a devilish little chuckle, and wrapped an arm around her waist. 

            The young miko gasped, and was suddenly aloft, soaring up past green foliage and into sky starting to redden with sunset. InuYasha landed on the very top branches lightly, and set her down carefully, propping her on the "Vs" of two branches to help her stand. 

            Kagome glanced at InuYasha, a slight smile on his face, then traced his glance up to the beautiful sunset. 

            It burned brightly, painting the sky in reds, oranges, and deep royal purples. The clouds surfed across the painted sky playfully in the distance, and a light breeze ruffled Kagome's hair. 

            She turned to look at InuYasha again, and was shocked. The light etched all his features, turning his normally silver hair into the purest spun golden thread, etching his handsome jaw, and turning his eyes absolutely molten. He now wore only his inner white Haori, and his standard red hakama, and his posture was strait, erect, and proud. A light smile creased his face, and his eyes closed in contentment. 

            "InuYasha…" She said softly, knowing he could hear. "Thank you…" 

            InuYasha shrugged slightly, and smiled, not turning towards her. "No big deal." He said. "I just wanted to keep my jewel shard detector around." 

            Kagome's jaw dropped in a gape. He still… _Shard detector!?!_ He! She! How! 

            Her eye began to twitch in anger… then slightly cooled. 

            He wanted to keep his jewel detector around. _His _jewel detector. 

            Kagome smiled, and carefully took a step towards him, and was rewarded with a warm arm around her shoulder.  

            _His… _

Her eyes traced up to the sinking sun, and Kagome broke into a big, unbridled smile. 

~~~~~_FIN~~~~~_


	57. AN

Well, I'd like to take, if I may, a moment to quote myself from my first chapter:  
"Okay, this is gonna be a relatively short fic. This is my first on FF.Net, so please be nice. I'll take criticism with no problem, but please be constructive in it. NO senseless flames, please!"  
Excuse me as I point at myself and laugh my head off.  
BWAHAHAHA! I WAS SO STUPIT BACK THEN!!  
Hehe. Nearly 90000 words, over 1000 reviews, and on the favorites list of 88 authors. Wow. I never thought I'd actually get this kinda response.  
But seriously, I would like to thank all of you out there, who reviewed, and helped me through tough times. I can't count the number of times I just wanted to give up and quite. So thanks for sticking with me.  
  
Unfortunately, the sequal will probably take a few weeks to get up. I gotta get a basic plan up, and get the first couple a chapters up, while balancing precalc, physics, history, and English, plus soccer, choir, men's choir, chamber singers, and everything else.  
Needless to say that I wont be able to write as much, and I'll also try to chuck more into the chapter.  
Once again, thanks.  
See ya, space cowboy. (Or. cowgirls, because apparently I'm the only guy who ever got on the InuYasha section ever in the history of man[woman]kind.)  
Sayanora, for now! 


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